Sinn Féin local election candidate Conor D. McGuinness has said that the failure to provide emergency accommodation in West Waterford is scandalous and is hurting families. He called for Waterford City and County Council to live up to its name and make provision for emergency housing need in the West of the County.
McGuinness said:
“Emergency accommodation has become a regular and recurring feature of the housing crisis across the state as well as in Waterford. A failure to build homes or invest in public and cooperative housing, coupled with rent inflation and a shift in the nature of employment, has left many families in a precarious situation.
“Homeless can come about suddenly and for many reasons. In recent weeks I have been contacted by families that are facing homelessness due to eviction from private rental accommodation as landlords seek to use the property for a family member or for more lucrative short-term letting. Unable to find properties within their budget their only option is emergency accommodation in a B&B in Waterford City.
“Losing the security and certainty of home is difficult enough without the added stress of being placed at the other end of the county. For families with children it can have a detrimental impact on employment, education and access to family supports. It plays havoc with a child’s routine, puts employment at risk, and heaps extra stress and hardship on parents that are already in a difficult situation.
“The Council serves the whole of Waterford, not just the city. It must make provision for emergency housing need in the West of the county.”
Cllr. Conor D. McGuinness 