A young family in Dublin is facing eviction after the local council declined to purchase their apartment, leaving them with no option but to search for a new home in an increasingly competitive rental market. Paul Harney (42), his wife, and their daughter Lia have lived in their three-bedroom apartment in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14, for 10 years, but now, due to rising rent prices and the inability to afford to buy the property themselves, they are facing an uncertain future.
Mr. Harney, a self-employed videographer, and his wife, who works part-time and is interviewing for clerical officer roles, have seen their rent rise over the years from €1,500 to €1,820 per month. While they’ve managed to get by, Harney says it’s been tough, and they are now struggling as their eviction deadline looms. The landlord, who initially gave them the eviction notice in mid-2022 with plans to sell, offered to sell the apartment to South Dublin County Council in an effort to help the family stay. However, after a lengthy process, the council ultimately deemed the property too expensive to purchase.
“We were a little bit hopeful,” Harney recalls, but the family’s hopes were dashed when they found out the council couldn’t meet the capped price or the eligibility criteria for the scheme. Despite their efforts to stay in the home they’ve known for a decade, the family is now looking at a bleak future.
With just over 16 months of searching for a new place, Mr. Harney says the search for a new rental property has been increasingly frustrating. After viewing 15 rental properties without success, he says the competition for homes has been fierce, with over 20 people attending each viewing. “Landlords tend to avoid renting to families with children or those receiving HAP support,” he explains.
The situation has forced the family to look into emergency accommodation, but Harney notes that options are scarce and not suitable for their needs. With his work equipment requiring space at home, a hostel or temporary accommodation would not suffice. “There’s nowhere for us to go. The effort to find something new never ends,” he says.
Despite the rising number of properties being advertised, Harney is increasingly anxious about the lack of follow-up from landlords. “I have a viewing today and another on Friday,” he says. “But nobody is getting back to us.”
With eviction looming and no viable options in sight, the Harney family’s situation highlights the struggles many face in Dublin’s tight rental market. Their case underscores the growing housing crisis in Ireland, with affordable rental properties in short supply and many families unable to meet the increasingly high costs of homeownership.
It’s crucial that local authorities, including South Dublin County Council, act urgently to support families like the Harneys before they face homelessness. As the housing crisis deepens, it is vital that solutions address not only the needs of individuals but also the growing pressure on families to find stable, affordable homes. The council’s assistance could make all the difference in this family’s future, and we hope that their plight is taken seriously and an option would be provided by the Council, while it is understandable that theie workload might be extremely high with minimal resources to effectively cater for all cases satisfactorily, it is however our believe that those in charge of this particulr case would go the extra length to assist the family.
For further information, read the full article by Niamh Towey available on The Irish Times here: link.
