Plea for council to rehouse dying child living in damp, mould-prone home

A Cork city councillor has called on the council to provide suitable accommodation for a terminally ill four-year-old and her mother, after their approved housing body landlord apologised for living conditions in their damp and mould-prone home.

In February, Respond — Ireland’s largest construction-led approved housing body — apologised to Agnes* and her four-year-old daughter Robin* after Agnes told The Echo that conditions in their rented home were worsening her child’s suffering.

Robin was born with a rare and terminal illness, and also suffers from severe scoliosis and kyphosis, resulting in a 270-degree curvature of her spine. In constant pain and nearing the end of her life, she is dependent on oxygen and a suction machine.

Three years ago, Agnes and Robin moved into Mill Park in Blackpool — a new 80-home social housing development owned and managed by Respond, a not-for-profit housing body that manages 7,700 properties.

Agnes’s home is one of several Mill Park homes — which have been seen by this newspaper — prone to damp and black mould.

When this newspaper highlighted the issues in Mill Park in February, Respond said: “These conditions are unacceptable, and we sincerely apologise to the tenants affected.” Respond said it had assured tenants it would “make every effort to provide alternative accommodation where needed.

“While we are disappointed that this situation has occurred, we are committed to doing better.” Four months on, Agnes says that despite a promise by Respond to buy them a new home, they have still not been offered suitable alternative accommodation.

“Now they’ve told us they can move us temporarily while they try and repair [their current home] but [Robin] needs so much equipment just to stay alive, it’s just such a massive operation to move,” Agnes said.

“They promised to get us a more suitable home, so if we move out, I want to be able to move to a permanent home.”

Workers’ Party councillor Ted Tynan has written the council chief executive Valerie O’Sullivan, asking that the council provide a suitable home for Agnes and Robin.

“This is a little girl who is dying. Surely Cork City Council has a duty to step in and provide appropriate accommodation,” Mr Tynan said.

He added that the Mill Park development is three years old, and asking how such newly built dwellings could be so badly affected by mould and damp.

A spokesperson for Respond said they could not comment on one tenant’s situation.

“Our housing team has been proactively engaging and liaising directly with each tenant regarding their concerns.” They said four apartments had been identified as having “significant damp and mould issues” and one had been “fully repaired with very positive , and works are ongoing in a second apartment”.

They said plans for the remaining two apartments, including Agnes’s, were being finalised.

“A vacant apartment has been made available to provide temporary accommodation if needed for tenants during works.

“We are continuing to liaise with other tenants to identify appropriate longer term solutions.” Cork City Council said Mr Tynan’s query was “a matter for Respond as the owner of the property”.

*Names have been changed.