Concern for children as social housing applications in Cork city surge

MORE and more families are applying for social housing, with many of these ending up in emergency accommodation, a councillor has said, sharing his concern for children who might be moved far away from their school.

Cork city council has received more applications for social housing in the first three months of 2024 than in any of the previous five years.

Figures provided to Sinn Fein councillor for Cork City North West Kenneth Collins by the Housing Operations Directorate show that in Q1 of 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022, there were less than 300 applicants.

By the first quarter of last year, this had increased to 391, and in January, February and March of this year, it increased again to 468.

Niall Ó Donnabháin, the Director of Services of the Housing Operations Directorate said, “In all cases we endeavour to process an application as quickly as possible.

“While applications are processed in the order they are received, we do prioritise applicants identified to us as being particularly vulnerable.

“This would include those in emergency accommodation or at risk of imminent homelessness, care leavers, those accommodated in a domestic violence refuge or persons unable to leave hospital due to lack of suitable accommodation.” 

Mr Collins suggested several measures to help children in emergency accommodation at this week's full council meeting.

The motion recognised “the particular harm caused to children in emergency accommodation who struggle to maintain links with their school/education facility,” and vowed to introduce new measures to protect young people’s links to their school.

He proposed that the council compile an anonymised report on all families currently in emergency accommodation and the distance they travel to school, the number currently engaged with a child support worker and the number offered such services.

He also suggested that they seek funding from Government to provide Leap Cards to all families of schoolgoing children in emergency accommodation and reeview all available accommodation and offer any available spaces closer to children’s schools to relevant families at their discretion.

Independent Councillor Mick Finn supported the motion, saying “the ask of Leap cards for families who are spread out all over Cork city and county and going to school in the city and facing the cost of transport - that’s a no brainer for me.

Mr Finn, who is a Youth Service Development Officer for Cork ETB, highlighted the importance of school and after school activities for young people in emergency accommodation, “to normalize their existence, as it’s very difficult for them and their families.”