The allocation of a house in Bansha to the Fr Peter McVerry Trust was discussed at the October Plenary meeting of Tipperary County Council.
The house is one of fourteen new homes delivered by Tipperary County Council in the south Tipperary village.
The development comprises five single-storey two-bedroom homes, five two-bedroom two-storey homes and four three-bedroom two-storey homes and is an extension of the existing estate – Radharc na hAbhainn.
Cllr Michael Fitzgerald queried why the home is still vacant despite other occupants moving in the development since June and proposed that the Council demand the return of the house.
The Director of Services for Housing Sinead Carr clarified that this unit had been designated as an Own Front Door Unit and was therefore in a different category to the standard allocations processes (i.e. it is a temporary allocation process until a more suitable long term accommodation becomes available).
The delay in assigning a tenant to this unit was as a result of summer annual leave for staff and staff shortages in the homeless section due to sick leave and this was then further delayed as a result of the inability of the Peter McVerry Trust (PMVT) to kit out the unit to be utilised as an Own Front Door.
The unit is now kitted out and the family assigned will be able to move in at the end of the week.
The family are presently in Emergency Accommodation. The house is provided to the Trust on the basis of a one year service level agreement.
Ms Carr also informed the meeting that in certain cases Tipperary County Council enters into arrangements with Housing Charities and Approved Housing Bodies such as PMVT, Focus Ireland, Novas, Simon Community, Respond and Kilkenny Voluntary Housing Association to provide accommodation with wrap around supports for the new tenants.
Ms Carr says Tipperary County Council does not have the specialist staff to provide such supports.
