‘This is the worst case of overcrowding I have ever seen’

Concerns for the safety of 25 people living in one semi-detached house in a Navan estate was expressed at a meeting of Meath County Council, which heard the property was used to provide emergency homeless accommodation on behalf of the council.

“This is the worst case of overcrowding in emergency accommodation I have ever seen. How 15 people including many children divided into five different units upstairs are expected to escape successfully from a fire with a high risk of blockages on pathways and exits is keeping me awake at night,” said Cllr Alan Lawes.

He said that 15 people were living in five bedrooms upstairs in the house, a couple and a single person lived in two bedrooms downstairs and another seven people were living in two cabins in the garden.

Cllr Lawes had sought the suspension of standing orders to allow a motion calling on Meath County Council “to carry out an immediate fire safety audit of all facilities used as emergency accommodation for homeless families and individuals and in addition the council need to certify that the appropriate insurance cover is in place” to be discussed.

He said the audit needed to be made public and must record properties with and without fire certification. “It should also detail the maximum number of people permitted to reside in each property to prevent overcrowding,” he said.

A roll call vote on whether the motion would be allowed resulted in councillors voting 19 to 13 against the motion proceeding. Cllr Lawes was told he could have the motion included on a future agenda in the usual way.

Cllr Lawes said he had no choice but to bring the emergency motion to the meeting. He recalled raising concerns about another premises last year where homeless people were accommodated in dilapidated portacabins in a car park. That resulted in them being removed from the premises and he was told it wouldn't happen again.

“Unfortunately, I was absolutely shocked to learn just recently that Meath County Council had placed 25 homeless people, including children, in a semi-detached house in Navan.

“With this many people living in one house there is a heightened possibility of overloaded electrical circuits which frequently sparks fires as well as problems with extra beds jammed into rooms causing blockages and trapping residents escaping from a fire.

“I immediately made representations asking the council for an up-to-date fire certificate and appropriate insurance. The eventual response I received after multiple representations shocked me even further as the council claim this property is residential and doesn’t require a fire certificate. I just cannot understand how the council came to that conclusion and I must challenge them in the strongest possible terms as people’s lives are at risk and the council itself could be liable for placing people at risk in an unsafe facility. No one from the council has yet given me a plausible explanation how a small semi-detached house divided into nine different units can be described as residential under the planning acts.”

“As councillors we all have a moral and ethical duty to protect the most vulnerable in our society and the least the homeless people in Meath can expect is that their public representatives will ensure that they are provided with a safe place to shelter,” he said.

The chief executive, Kieran Kehoe, said issues around temporary accommodation had been raised with him and had been dealt with. “I went to the Strategic Policy Committee and in December last year a policy was adopted in relation to the standard of homeless accommodation being provided by emergency providers.

“We are proud of the great work we do here in housing, we are one of the best in the country in relation to provision of housing and how looking after the most vulnerable in society, and I am proud of you councillors and the way you champion them so well.”

Mr Kehoe said there was a strong regime in relation to the inspection of emergency accommodation provision in this county. “This property was inspected way more than any other and through that we are satisfied that it meets the criteria that was developed regarding the standard of the property, its general upkeep, the provision of sanitary facilities and the provision of CCTV and fire prevention equipment. He said the building is a dwelling and does not need fire certification. “That is the law. Until that is changed, I am not in a position to do anything different. We are take our duty of care very seriously.”

Following the meeting, Cllr Lawes said he was very disappointed in the vote and reiterated his belief that 25 people living in a semi-detached house was an emergency situation.