The derelict Our Lady’s Hospital on the outskirts of Ennis has been put forward as a suggestion for emergency accommodation to help tackle the homeless crisis here.
95 people, among them 44 children, are now in emergency accommodation here.
The former asylum has been suggested as one possible site for housing – but this hasn’t been accepted by all.
Clare FM’s James Mulhall reports:
In the past two months alone, a further nine adults have been forced into emregency accommodation in Clare as the housing and homelessness crisis deepens.
There are also 44 children in this situation, and over 2,600 on Clare’s social housing waiting list.
The Council plans to acquire a building in Ennis that will operate as emergency accommodation as one short-term measure and Independent Cllr James Breen believes the site at Our Lady’s could work.
However, not everyone agrees.
Independent Clonlara Cllr Michael Begley is concerned that the old building isn’t suitable and believes another solution should be found.
A number of projects are already in the pipeline with some gone to the planning phase.
The most significant is in Ennis, where 200 homes are expected to be built in Claureen by 2021 – with the council identifying potential for over 500 in that area.
Local Fianna Fáil Cllr Pat Daly is welcoming the development – but feels a more even spread of houses would be better.
