Nenagh councillor calls for same response to homelessness as that given to refugees

A Tipperary county councillor has called for Tipperary County Council to call a meeting on housing and to announce a crisis and apply the same emergency legislation used to house Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion of their country.

Cllr Seamus Morris from Nenagh said in a statement that he had been told there were 166 presentations to the council's homeless services in the last month and that the council was having difficulty finding housing for an increasing number of people.

"I have a number of people who are at the end of their nine-week B&B allowance - this is what the council are allowed to pay. One lady is six months pregnant and has either to pay the full amount of B&B herself or find a relative to take her in. She has already deposited her son elsewhere," he said.

The Independent councillor said that he had noticed recently that the council had no houses, or few, allocated in the Nenagh Municipal District.

"I know the staff are doing their best, but is it not time to call a crisis meeting in terms of housing so that we can announce a crisis and apply the same emergency legislation being used to house Ukrainian refugees," he said.

Cllr Morris has also asked the council to inform him how much it was costing Tipperary County Council to pay for emergency accommodation, and if the nine-week allowance could be extended.