Those who turn down social housing create a new scandal

WHILE some mainstream media organisations, social housing charities and certain councillors and politicians constantly bombard us about the thousands of homeless people in Ireland, here are a few facts that they might publish, but will not.

Nearly 5,500 applicants turned down offers of social housing since 2016.

Some 357 of the applicants refused more than one offer of social housing and these included families.

The excuses range from anti-social behaviour, gardens not big enough, not enough bedrooms, lack of bus routes and fewer facilities, and the list goes on.

In my own county of Donegal, there were 129 multiple refusals of social housing from 61 applicants, a fact that certain councillors seeking re-election fail to allude to.

There were 78 in Sligo, 40 in Meath, 40 in Cork and the list goes on.

Between 2018 and 2021 our Government will have handed over €3bn to private landlords and in HAP payments to house the homeless.

While we constantly hear the crisis that is homelessness, what we aren’t hearing are the voices of concerned taxpayers who are working and who do not meet the criteria for any type of social housing/housing given the rules and criteria that apply to applicants.

While we hear the tragedy that is homelessness, we don’t hear the scandal of the refusals.

It may be unpalatable to some or even seen as outrageous to mention refusals, but it is the truth and one we pay dearly for. Christy Galligan

Letterkenny, Co Donegal