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Dad vows to fight eviction order

Thursday, 31 July 2008

A 34-year-old father of four who faces eviction from his Cherrywood home has vowed to stay, despite a court order that he must vacate the property by this Friday (August 1).
Joe Kinnane's life was turned upside down when his partner Angela died two years ago, leaving him to bring up Jasmine (11), Nicole (7), Austin (4) and Bobby (2) on his own.
Since Angela's death he has struggled to make ends meet and although he has been in receipt of social welfare payments the rent on his privately owned house in Loughlinstown fell into arrears.
He has now accrued in the region of e35,000 in debts and following a recent court order has been given until this Friday (August 1) to vacate the property.
However, as he has no other options he faces the very real prospect of spending time on the streets with his four children.
“I have absolutely nowhere else to go,” he told Southside People. “There are no other options for me. Obviously when Angela died it completely threw me and I have been focused on looking after the kids every day since.”

Joe revealed that it took all the money he received in social welfare payments just to clothe and feed his children. There was little left to pay the rent, he added.
Angla died suddenly and tragically aged just 29 in the Cherrywood home in 2006 from a heart condition. At this point Joe took full responsibility for raising their children on his own.
According to Joe, rent allowance that had previously been allocated for the Loughlinstown address under the deceased mother’s name has been denied to him.
Although he has been ordered to vacate by Friday, Joe insists he has been left with no other option but to defy the court order and is determined to remain in the Cherrywood home with his children until suitable accommodation can be allocated by Dun Laogh-aire Rathdown County Council.
His case has been fought by Dun Laoghaire Housing Action Campaign member and local representative for the People Before Profit Alliance, Hugh Lewis.
"A campaign has now been established to help ensure the safety and well-being of Joe and his children,” Mr Lewis said. “It is wholly unacceptable that this family has been denied their right to rent allowance and adequate housing.
"We call upon Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to immediately provide Joe and his children with a suitable home to prevent this young family being thrown out onto the streets.”
He added: “Across the borough over 4,000 people are now on the housing waiting list. Joe and his children are yet another example of the council’s appalling record on providing housing.”
A spokesperson for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council said they did not comment on the circumstances of individual housing applicants.
“The council is aware of this case and the person concerned has been in contact with the Housing Department,” the spokesman said. “He has been advised of the options available to him. The Housing Department is awaiting further contact."
A spokesperson for the HSE said that it was neither appropriate nor possible to comment on the circumstances of the case.

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