15 January 1998 Edition
Cork travelling family forced to squat in house
A TRAVELLING family in Cork has been forced to squat in the Mahon area of the city in a desperate attempt to secure a roof over their heads.
Ann Keenan and her seven children took the desperate action when they moved into a vacant house at Inchera Park after several promises of houses failed to materialise. They have been living in Mahon for eighteen years in caravans at a local halting site.
Two years ago Ann had been shown the plans of a new house that the Coorporation said would be built for her and her family and they have since endured the rats and discomfort of the site while they waited in hope of the house to come.
However, with contruction delays the house never materialised and she was eventually offered another at Mahon Crescent which was totally inadequate for her family.
When the house at Inchera park became available, it was first indicated to her that it would be allocated to her. But her hopes were to be dashed by news that the decision had been taken not to give it to her.
But the cold weather in December, the ongoing problem with rat investation and the deteriorating condition of the caravans her family was living in forced her to take the desperate decision to occupy the house at Inchera Park.
Despite some hostility, Ann's time in Mahon has stood to her and such is her support that the Lord Mayor of Cork, Dave McCarthy, has even oppopsed her eviction.
Local SInn Féin representative Kevin Power visited Mrs Keenan on Saturday of last week and she told him that her only wish is to have a permanent home for her family.
Commenting on her plight, Power said, ``Given the size of her family this house is ideal. I cannot understand why the dcision was taken not to allocate it to her in the first place. It is interesting to note that a purely negative decision was taken with no-one actually getting it.''
He continued, ``Cork Coorporation should do the decent thing. The Keenan's have been messed about enough already. They should be given the house and a line drawn under the whole debacle.
``In the longer term it is absolutely imperative that the serious housing shortage in Cork should be tackled''.
Ann Keenan and her seven children took the desperate action when they moved into a vacant house at Inchera Park after several promises of houses failed to materialise. They have been living in Mahon for eighteen years in caravans at a local halting site.
Two years ago Ann had been shown the plans of a new house that the Coorporation said would be built for her and her family and they have since endured the rats and discomfort of the site while they waited in hope of the house to come.
However, with contruction delays the house never materialised and she was eventually offered another at Mahon Crescent which was totally inadequate for her family.
When the house at Inchera park became available, it was first indicated to her that it would be allocated to her. But her hopes were to be dashed by news that the decision had been taken not to give it to her.
But the cold weather in December, the ongoing problem with rat investation and the deteriorating condition of the caravans her family was living in forced her to take the desperate decision to occupy the house at Inchera Park.
Despite some hostility, Ann's time in Mahon has stood to her and such is her support that the Lord Mayor of Cork, Dave McCarthy, has even oppopsed her eviction.
Local SInn Féin representative Kevin Power visited Mrs Keenan on Saturday of last week and she told him that her only wish is to have a permanent home for her family.
Commenting on her plight, Power said, ``Given the size of her family this house is ideal. I cannot understand why the dcision was taken not to allocate it to her in the first place. It is interesting to note that a purely negative decision was taken with no-one actually getting it.''
He continued, ``Cork Coorporation should do the decent thing. The Keenan's have been messed about enough already. They should be given the house and a line drawn under the whole debacle.
``In the longer term it is absolutely imperative that the serious housing shortage in Cork should be tackled''.