The issue of elderly people languishing on the social housing list in Killarney, Co Kerry was recently brought to light at a Killarney Municipal District meeting. The data revealed that two individuals in their 90s are waiting for social housing, with one person having been on the list for over two decades.
Moreover, 12 hopeful tenants are in their 80s, and 39 more are in their 70s, all vying for single-bedroom flats in Killarney among a list of 836 potential tenants. One of the nonagenarians on the list has been privately renting and receiving the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP), a situation they are satisfied with. The other individual, however, has awaited housing since the passing of their partner three years ago.
The situation led Labour councillor Marie Moloney to label it a scandal that individuals in their 90s are kept waiting for housing. She urged officials to act before the individuals mark their 100th birthdays without proper accommodation.
The meeting revealed that while families are securing homes in the Killarney area, the majority of people waiting for social housing are singles and individuals aged 40+.
Moloney, a former senator, had requested the age breakdown of figures, asserting that the local authority had effectively neglected the aging portion of applicants. Highlighting the housing prices in Killarney, she suggested that many of these individuals might never be homeowners.
Single individuals have reportedly been on the waitlist for extended periods, with timespans reaching up to 14 years, according to councillor Brendan Cronin.
Meanwhile, Ger O’Brien, a council official, observed that demand was high across all five Kerry districts for single-bedroom apartments. Historically, the council primarily constructed family units, he explained, adding that they now plan to prioritise one and two-bedroom flats.