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Cockroaches, mould and aggressive staff: Documents convey reality of life in homeless accommodation

New documents detail the issues facing people living in homeless emergency accommodation.

COCKROACHES, MOULD AND aggressive staff are just some of the issues people living in homeless emergency accommodation in Ireland say they face. 

Documents released to TheJournal.ie under the Freedom of Information Act detail the complaints and concerns raised by homeless people living in state-funded accommodation with Dublin City Council. 

This includes homeless hostels, private hotels and B&Bs. The dates of the documents range from 1 December 2018 to 29 May of this year. 

Latest figures from the Department of Housing show that 10,172 people were in emergency accommodation during the period recorded in June.

The figure consists of 6,497 adults and 3,675 children.

Issues raised include claims of cockroaches in bedrooms, blocked toilets, leaking ceilings and mould concerns.

All identifying data in the documents have been redacted in order to protect the privacy of the people involved. 

The complaints revealed here are similar to others reported in recent years. The documents repeatedly show complaints of health and safety issues.

Cockroaches and mould

Some of the conditions faced while living in homeless accommodation are laid bare by one complaint in which a person claims the accommodation they are in is “overrun with cockroaches”. 

“I’m in emergency accommodation in [redacted] and it’s overrun with cockroaches. I woke up this morning with a cockroach running [redacted],” the complainant said. 

“We can’t live like this anymore,” they continued. 

homeless1 DRHE DRHE

In another instance, a staff member wrote that a couple were staying in a basement room “full of damp and mould”. 

Another entry claims that some people living in emergency accommodation were advised of an issue with “condensation” and that they “need to ventilate the room regularly”. 

“They claim that the heating only comes on for an hour at a time and it is too cold to open windows,” the staff member wrote. 

“They also state there is no mirror in the bathroom and that they cannot get ready for work.” 

homeless2 DRHE DRHE

Accommodation standards

Issues with accommodation standards are a recurring trend within the documents, with numerous issues from blocked toilets to lumpy beds highlighted. 

In one entry dated March, a staff member said they had a lengthy call from a person in emergency accommodation in which she complained that her “toilet is constantly blocked, there is no hot water and there is an issue with the tap water”. 

In a response to this, another staff member said the issue of the hot water has been “sorted” and that the blocked toilet issue was to be fixed. 

“This happens from time to time as some clients continue (despite my best efforts) to put all kinds of things down the loo,” they wrote. 

Another complaint made to the Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) describes reports of a “very lumpy mattress/broken bed”. In the entry, it was detailed that the mother in question is seven months pregnant. 

In a complaint made in February, one person said that they feel being homeless is “getting unbearable”.

They alleged that the ceiling in their room “came through” as a result of “leaks for months” and that they have dealt with “some extremely aggressive and disrespectful staff”. 

homeless3 DRHE DRHE

The person claimed that the leaks “destroyed between 7-8 black bags of clothes, electrics and other belongings”. They also claimed that items had been stolen from their room. 

They continued: 

I am trying to keep strong and positive but it’s the hardest thing to do some days. I wear a mask for my child but underneath I feel broken. 

In a follow-up email from a staff member in relation to this, they claimed that the woman didn’t show anyone the destroyed clothes. 

“At no point did anyone of the staff who had gone in to the room after the overflow report any damage to any of the bags,” the staff member said.

Another entry outlines that one particular room in an emergency accommodation had “no ensuite bathroom” and that it was reported that “approximately 10 families have to share one bathroom”. 

Other complaints

In one case dated January 2019, a worker said residents in a particular emergency accommodation “were not informed” that renovation works were being to take place prior to the work starting. 

The staff member said someone stated that “there are building materials being left in the hallways” which she “feels is a health and safety concern”. 

In another instance, a staff member wrote that a tenant told them in January that “during the night her child had fallen out of the top bunk” of the bed. 

“She said there was no railings on the bed to prevent someone falling out. I saw a photo of the child and she had a swollen eye and bloodied nose,” they said. 

homeless4 DRHE DRHE

In a response, a DRHE representative said that they carried out a risk assessment of the beds as a result of the claims and that now a “sign is posted in each bedroom stating that the top bunk is only to be used by residents over six years of age”. 

“I am not sure why railings would be detachable on the bunk beds, this appears to be a health and safety concern. There should not be an option to remove railings from a top bunk where children are sleeping,” they said. 

Government criticism

Over the past few years, the government has come in for strong criticism for its use of hotels and unsuitable accommodation to house homeless people, particularly families.

June – the latest month for which figures are available - was the fifth consecutive month in which the figures remained over 10,000. 

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy came under fire over the news of the latest figures last month. 

Commenting at the time, Focus Ireland’s Director of Advocacy Mike Allen said: “There is a real danger that human stories get lost behind the numbers – especially during the summer months when the politicians are on holidays and people are enjoying the good weather. 

“There is no holiday or break from the almost constant stress for the over 10,000 people who are homeless.” 

Over the past couple of years, the government has been attempting to move away from hotel accommodation towards the group home “family hub” model. However, these hubs quickly came in for strong criticism from a number of quarters.  

In a statement to TheJournal.ie responding to the issues raised in the FOI documents, DRHE said that “standards have improved significantly recently with the introduction of the new family hubs and the new single adult accommodation”.

It added that it “actively pursues all complaints and has a formal complaints policy that deals with all complaints received”.

“The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has service level agreements with service providers which ensures compliance with all the statutory health and safety standards and to particular legislative requirements, including Children First act 2015 and the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.”

The DRHE and the four Dublin local authorities currently provide emergency accommodation for around 4,300 adults, which includes around 1,265 families. It claimed that “considering these figures, the number of complaints received is low”. 

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36 Comments
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    Mute Darren
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    Aug 24th 2019, 10:09 AM

    I recently completed a refurbishment project in South Dublin consisting of the delivery of 14 upgraded homes for Rathdown/DL council. I’m back every now and then carrying out maintenance and noticed how 12 of these homes were given to Muslim/ African couples only two of which have children, anybody know why they got first preference on these homes ahead of other families with children living nearby in accomodation?

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 10:10 AM

    @Darren: For division purposes. Nothing else.

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    Mute Darren
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    Aug 24th 2019, 10:23 AM

    @Dave Doyle: I would agree if the council housed other families elsewhere but this was the only housing project carried out last year.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 10:30 AM

    @Darren: The civil rights movement in Nth. Ireland started over the discrimination in housing allocation. Given the housing situation in the country, this allocation of homes as you described can only have a political purpose.

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    Mute Brian Mc Elwaine
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    Aug 24th 2019, 1:33 PM

    Because these, especially the africans have a proven track record of boosting the economy, reducing crime, integrating very successfully and generally improving every society they’ve graced with their presence. Like
    Mulhuddart, Ongar, Tyrrelstown, Balbriggan, and Clonee. Welcome to Soror.

    38
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    Mute ken gray
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    Aug 24th 2019, 2:20 PM

    @Darren: happening all over the country !

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    Mute Adrian Aungier
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    Aug 24th 2019, 7:48 PM

    @Darren: your right. Only white people are homeless. PC gone mad

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    Mute Raymond Westlake
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    Aug 25th 2019, 11:12 AM

    @Brian Mc Elwaine: waiting for your comment to be deleted -the Journal doesn’t subscribe to a balanced narrative. The Fleadh in Drogheda last week literally kicked off with a Garda being kicked in the head by our ‘culturally diversifying’ friends when a rave, posing as a bogus birthday party, was refused. These people are the so called ‘engineers and scientists’ with which Varadakar wants to flood the country.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 6:48 AM

    The homeless industry, a gravy train for the well connected and misery that those who have to use such shoddy unsuitable accommodation and are expected to be grateful for.
    If animals were kept in these conditions there would be an outcry.

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    Mute Alan
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    Aug 24th 2019, 8:03 AM

    @Dave Doyle: animals kept inside with a roof and four walls? That would be utter luxury for most of our farm animals??

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    Mute Clint Sofie
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    Aug 24th 2019, 3:38 PM

    @Alan: Ahh, but sure the auld meat is grand though.

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    Mute Dr. Udaya Khandavilli
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    Aug 24th 2019, 6:52 AM

    No father wants to to see suffering of his daughter. My heart broken after reading this article. We must do something to end this.

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Aug 24th 2019, 8:35 AM

    @Almight Joe: This is this toxic libertarianism from America that’s infecting Ireland really annoys me, the belief that tax redistribution to the poor via socal welfare is none other than theft. How many Jordan Peterson or Stefan Molyneux videos did you watch on YouTube before you came to your position?

    The argument for welfare is that we need a safety net, without which the vulnerable of society fail and drag others others down too. You just have to see the extremes of your phylosophy in the decaying cities in the US; San Francisco for example, where the influx of high paid IT workers and not enough houses resulted in spiralling rent prices that put thousand of poorer people out of their homes, who now live in ever growing homeless cities without a proper social welfare safety net. It’s got so bad they’re worried about disease epidemics normally seen in the 3rd world. Yes, I know things won’t get as bad here, it’s only an example of what you seem to prefer, a country that does not cares for all of its citizen.

    All men are created equal.

    * except the ones who are homeless.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/03/typhus-tuberculosis-medieval-diseases-spreading-homeless/584380/

    Similar happened here to our housing market, a pause in house building during the recession and a growing population due to natural increased and net immigration, a move away from building council homes and towards an ill consieved HAP scheme that artificially inflated rents, and a government who foolishly thinks the free market (foreign vulture funds etc.) will fix the housing crisis.

    But no, you just blame homeless (including 1700 children) who you think did it to themselves.

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    Mute wacker macker
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    Aug 24th 2019, 8:59 AM

    @David Jordan: This is the result of massive economic migration. They heard Ireland gives you free money and housing.

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    Mute Dave Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 10:09 AM

    @Alan: The poor choices rest exclusively with the neoliberal FG minority government. Who see no problem with Billions and Millions in cost overruns on building projects, can give Billions in corporate welfare for a broadband system as long as the right man is involved, can spend 25 million on consultants to compile reports on it. Yet can remove a pittance in allowance for the disabled, throw homeless families into any sort of a s***hole room, lie about the actual numbers of homeless, and put out the lie that it’s all the fault of the homeless for being homeless.
    No social housing being built, no affordable housing, the most expensive rents in Europe all to benefit foreign private investors. Any all the FG fanboys agree with this sort of governance of the country.

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    Mute David Jordan
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    Aug 24th 2019, 12:09 PM

    @wacker macker: “This is the result of massive economic migration. They heard Ireland gives you free money and housing.”

    Actually jobs…

    The employment rate for non-nationals is overall slightly higher than Irish nationals.

    “Many non-Irish nationals are as likely to be employed and as educated as Irish people”

    https://www.thejournal.ie/immigrants-employment-education-ireland-esri-4325207-Nov2018/

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    Mute Sk19
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    Aug 24th 2019, 1:40 PM

    @David Jordan: based on all non nationals yes of course

    Drill down into certain countries / ethics and give me the stats ?

    Of course an australian/ Indian / Brazilian executive is here to work

    Break it down by country I’ll bet you now certain counties are 70% unemployed

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    Mute Alan
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    Aug 24th 2019, 7:18 PM

    @Dave Doyle: you think were not spending billions on welfare? The biggest expense of the country every year yet it’s the wealthy who are to blame? This country is getting to to the point that even moderately comfortable people will be expected to give their money away to the poor!

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    Mute acallkelly
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    Aug 24th 2019, 1:59 PM

    A recent report bt crosscare group tell us that 34%of people on the waiting list for soial housing list are not born in Ireland , of the 23% were eastern european the remaining 11% were non European.
    This is crazy to allow people to keep coming to Ireland for ‘jobs’ and putting massive pressure on not only housing but schools, hospitals and other essential services.
    I was in a Dublin hospital three times in the past two months for outpatient care, more than a third of those waiting were obviously foreign born, accents and visually. We need a big discussion in Ireland on the increasing numbers, this is not even talking about those arriving here illegally , not invited etc.
    We are told that its all about jobs, and labour shortage, and yet the numbers on the unemployment list are not getting shorter.

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    Mute Paul Whelan
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    Aug 24th 2019, 2:27 PM

    A copy of this shoukd be sent to every African country , to show them how goid they have it.

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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    Aug 24th 2019, 11:00 PM

    I would like to see the system where some people get benefits like free houses and allowances for life addressed, be they Irish or other wise. The woman who brought her 8 kids to the garda station and then got a free house in Meath should be made to train and work her way to paying for that house or buying one for herself and not being a burden on the state. Otherwise her kids and their kids will repeat the process and it will cost the state, at a guess, millions in taxpayers money. Now how many people contributing tax over their lifetime are needed to fund that benefit cycle for 30 citizens? It is not equitable and therefore should not be a normal practice. Same for other benefits, they are a safety net to catch you when you are down but you must work your way back to being a responsible citizen again.

    Currently, working your way back to independence, after state benefits, is a pipe dream because it’s like what happened in the US when the “American Dream” became unattainable, that you will never get there, the sums don’t add up and you cant see a point where you will win, and in the case of the US it signified an end to a period of great growth and prosperity for workers. I refer to the price of a house of course, or indeed rented accommodation. The price is too high, you cant get a sufficient mortgage, your salary won’t cover the cost of rent. Why do an honest days work for an honest days pay if it doesn’t allow you to actually have a life worth living?

    Imagine a young married couple, 2 kids, one works full time and the other minds the children, manages the home and supports the salaried parent, not such an unusual setup not to long ago. The salaried parent makes E20,000 a year in a low skilled but ultimately crucial service that everyone else in society benefits from. That salary is used to feed and dress the family etc. They decide to buy a home and apply for a mortgage, bank says we can give you 3.5 time your salary, around 70k and they would need to have a deposit of 10% to make up the difference. So a 3 bed semi in Dublin needed for 80-90k. How many of those is there?, none. They decide to rent, a 3 bed semi in Dublin, at E1300 a month (hard to find that cheap) will cost E15,6000 a year, leaving E4400 to live off for a year for 4 people, 2 of which are expected to be the next generation of workers assuming they can afford to keep them in school.

    Therein lies the problem, the housing crisis is 10 years old, successive FG governments and ministers have done nothing to fix this and everything to make it worse. Again this is not equitable behavior and makes no common sense in an economy, a business, or for a family. It will end up costing more to the taxpayers over the longer term. It does make sense for the perpetrators of this crime, the TD’s. And the landlords, hoteliers bankers and vulture funds. The TD’s are laughing all the way to the bank, their time is short, there are no consequences for their treachery and when their political career has fizzled out the bankers and vultures who owe them a favour for the good years (2010 to present) will give them jobs and board seats and we will provide them with a pension that’s so good they could buy a house every 2/3 years with it.

    You might have reasons to vote FG again, I can’t imagine any, but if you do, for the love of your fellow citizens, insist they address the issues facing our society in return for your valued vote. We must declare, all of us, to be sick and tired off being treated like a doormat, of being left on a trolley in a corridor for 24 hours, of being left on a waiting list for years, of ever increasing taxes, of ever worsening traffic, of homeless people sleeping in doorways at -5 in January, of houses prices that have no relation to our salaries, of being ripped off by insurance companies on car, house and health year in and year out, of increasing levels of crime, of worsening levels of corruption and cronyism and the fraudulent redistribution of taxpayers wealth via broadband and hospital projects. Enough already. If they continue to oppress the society then don’t be surprised or upset when the society eventually decides to fight back, historically they always do, and in doing so inadvertently laying waste to whatever small parts of good that still remain in this great nation of ours.

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    Mute Shane Cusack
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    Aug 25th 2019, 7:52 AM

    @Eddie O’Neill: 3 bed semi for €1,300. Not a hope! 1 bed apartments are easily getting that!

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    Mute Almight Joe
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    Aug 24th 2019, 4:13 PM

    So many left wing Journal (aka Socialist Times) writers …..

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    Mute Brian Flavin
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    Aug 24th 2019, 9:46 AM

    Terrible bad condition mound & cockroaches

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    Mute Mark Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 11:38 PM

    Adrian, shut up you ignorant, rasist, knuckle-dragging loser!

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    Mute Mark Doyle
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    Aug 24th 2019, 11:39 PM

    Adrianl, shut up you ignorant, rasist, knuckle-dragging loser!

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