Brady slams Council for sending Mothers and Children to Homless Shelter in Rathdrum

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor John Brady has labelled the
Housing crisis in Wicklow as despicable, he also stated that the
actions of Bray Town Council in sending young families to a homeless
shelter in Rathdrum as a totally unacceptable solution to the crisis.

Councillor Brady stated "The housing crisis in Wicklow is continuing
to spiral out of control, there are 4,154 families in Wicklow in need
of social housing. Over the last 2 years the situation facing families
has dramatically deteriorated and its now resulted in young families
being referred to a homeless shelter in Rathdrum. The current
government policy has put a stop to the construction of social housing
and a new policy of social leasing enacted. The government has also
cut the amount paid for rental assistance which is forcing people out
of their private rented accommodation because the landlords are
unwilling to reduce the rent. This coupled with a huge shortage to
houses under the Rental Accomodation Scheme (RAS) have created a
ticking housing time bomb that's about to explode."

Cllr Brady went on "I am currently dealing with a number of families
who have been and are in the process of being made homeless. One young
mother from Bray and her 3 children were sent to the homeless shelter
in Rathdrum last week were they still remain. She had to move out of
her private rented accommodation because the landlord needed the house
back for another family member. She has been unable to find another
house in Bray within her price bracket and has had to present herself
and her children as homeless to the Town Council. Even though she has
been on the councils housing list for 7 years the council stated they
have nothing for her and told her to stay with family members or go to
the homeless shelter in Rathdrum, which is 40 km away and served with poor 
public transport."

"It is disgraceful that things have got this bad, but to add insult to
injury for the council to send a young mother with 3 children, one of
which attends school in Bray, to a homeless shelter in Rathdrum is
totally unacceptable. I am aware of at least one other young mother
who is facing the same prospects in 2 weeks time unless action is
taken. This i believe is only the tip of the iceberg, many other
families simply refuse to go to Rathdrum and end up on the floor of a
friend or family member." Brady continued.

He concluded by saying "We need immediate action to be taken in
Wicklow to deal with the housing crisis. It is disgraceful that houses
remain boarded up in Bray whilst young families are forced into a
unsuitable homeless shelter. We need emergency accommodation in Bray
to cater for young families who find themselves homeless and
ultimately we need to force Fine Gael and Labour to get their heads
out of the sand on this issue, we need a change to the flawed housing
policy that's created this human tragedy." Ends

Questions need to be asked as 280 jobs go in Rathdrum-Brady

Reacting to news of 280 job losses in Rathdrum Sinn Féin Councillor
John Brady has asked where exactly is the governments job retention
plan.

Cllr Brady stated “This will be a severe blow to the workers and the
community around the MSD site in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow. By the IDA’s
own job multiplier over 100 other local jobs will be affected.
Yesterday we had a succession of government ministers claiming that
their plan was working and the jobs crisis was turning the corner.
That is not the experience of these workers or the growing number of
long-term employed or emigrants."

“Six months ago the Taoiseach, speaking at the MSD sister site in
Ballydine, Tipperary highlighted the signs that the economy was
turning when 70 jobs had been created there. Six months later and the
same company are shredding 280 jobs does the same logic ring true?
It’s important that the needs of the workers are met. It has been
reported that some of these jobs have been lost to Singapore. If this
is the case the government must act to access, as a matter of urgency,
the European Globalisation Fund to assist these workers back into
employment." continued Brady

He went onto say "A number of questions do need to be asked however,
where is the governments job retention plan? 280 workers are going to
be out of a job, we need to know that everything has been done that
can be done by the government and the Minister to ensure these jobs
are retained. Also questions must be asked about support this company
received from state agencies and the value of that support in terms of
jobs creation, retention and displacement."

Cllr Brady concluded "Its important that we remember that there are
real people, families and communities behind the statistics. These job
losses would rip the heart out of any community, but they will be felt
hardest in a rural community such as Rathdrum. Everything must be done
to either retain or have a new buyer brought in and the government
needs to take a lead role in that." Ends