‘Milk and bread are luxuries’: relief for evicted pensioner as home found for Christmas
When someone like Frank loses his home he loses his community – his doctor, his friends, his church, his locality
A 71-YEAR-old man who was facing Christmas in emergency accommodation has found a home after sharing his heart-wrenching story with the nation.
However, campaigners are warning there is an increased risk of elderly people becoming homeless.
Frank Treacy said he still had to work just to keep a roof over his head. He considers items such as milk and bread as luxuries.
Mr Treacy had been renting in his two-bed terraced house for seven years in Dublin but was helpless when his landlord evicted him.
Speaking about his circumstances, he said: “It’s just the way it fell, that’s the circumstances and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“I pay €1,250 per month, my pension is €150 per week, so I have to go out and work, whatever I can get – a few odd jobs here and there. Whatever I get is to pay the rent and anything else covers food, electricity and whatever else I need.
“At least I can get out of bed in the morning but I fear the day I can’t get out of bed to make money and pay.” Mr Treacy (inset) explained: “Do
I believe in the system? Yes, because I have to believe in it.”
He had tried to find cheaper accommodation but said it was impossible to rent an apartment in Dublin for less than €1,200. I’ve tried to see can I get anywhere for €600 but they just laugh at me.
“For a single-bed apartment, you’re looking at anywhere from €1,200, so double my pension, and I have to get €600 a month just for a roof over my head, anything like a bottle of milk and a loaf is extra,” he told ‘Morning Ireland’. Mr Treacy’s story struck a chord with listeners.
It resulted in Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty intervening to ensure he has a home this Christmas.
“While it might look like there was intervention on my behalf this morning, and we did make phone calls, the agencies already engaging with Frank are the people who provided the housing solution for him,” she said. The minister also said she will look at how the Housing Assistance Programme (Hap) could be tweaked for older people looking to rent.
Alone – a charity which supports older people – said there has been a surge in people aged over 60 who are on the waiting list for social housing.
That figure grew 11.4pc each year between 2013 and last year, soaring by 18pc in Dublin in 2015 and 2016.
Sean Moynihan, chief executive of Alone, said more must be done to tackle this issue.
He said: “When someone like Frank loses his home he loses his community – his doctor, his friends, his church, his locality.
“I think the whole conversation surrounding housing for older people has been focused on downsizing for some reason.
“The reality of it is that for every house we have, you have 50 older people looking for a house.