A MOTHER of four, who has been living in emergency accommodation for five years and has been on the housing list for 14, says the situation is breaking her mental health and depriving her children of a normal childhood.
Limerick woman Kirsty Healy fled a violent home situation to safety in a women’s refuge more than five years ago.
From there, she was accommodated in a family hub in the city run by homeless charity Focus Ireland, a move she says was “meant to be an emergency, short term solution”.
“I’m still here three and a half years later and my key worker says I’ve been in homeless shelter emergency accommodation longer than anyone else,” Kirsty told the Limerick Post.
The mother of four claims that while there is security supervision at the facility, there is constant anti-social and threatening behaviour.
“There are people taking drugs, drinking, and fighting, shouting and screaming. I have had people hammering on my door shouting and threatening me. My kids were terrified,” she said.
The mother of four says her children, aged between five and 18 years old, are getting no opportunity to have a normal childhood.
“There’s no outdoor space for them to go outside and play. We go to the park as often as we can, but there’s only so many times you can do that in a week,” she told this newspaper.
“They can’t invite their friends in to play or have sleepovers like the other kids in school. It’s not fair to them and the whole situation is dragging my own mental health down.”
Kirsty says she has “never had any offer of a house. I was told five months ago that I would get something in three of four weeks. That didn’t happen. I don’t know where to go for help anymore.”
When contacted for comment by the Limerick Post, a spokesperson for Focus Ireland said that the charity “cannot go into the specifics and share information regarding any families or individuals who are engaging with our services”.
“With that said, our specially trained staff are fully committed to supporting families and children while they are homeless and help them to secure a home,” the spokesperson continued.
“We continue to advocate on behalf of all families who are homeless through our partnership work with the Limerick Homeless Action Team and Limerick local authority to combat homelessness and help families move on. Focus Ireland believes that everyone has a right to a place they can call home.”
