Council agrees to order quashing decision to defer homeless mother’s social housing application

Cork City Council has agreed to a High Court order quashing its deferral of a social housing application made by a woman living in emergency homeless accommodation with her four children.

Margaret McDonagh (43) initiated her action last June claiming she has been on the local authority’s housing waiting list for 14 years.

Ms McDonagh, a member of the Travelling community, said she and her four minor sons have been homeless since August 2022 after the lease of a rental property at Eagle Valley, Wilton, Cork, was terminated as the landlord wanted to sell.

She asked the court to overturn the local authority’s decision, made last January, to defer her social housing application for a year.

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On Monday, Ms McDonagh’s barrister, Aengus Ó Corráin, instructed by Thomas Coughlan & Co Solicitors, told the court the case has settled, with the city council consenting to an order overturning its deferral.

The council has also agreed to Ms McDonagh’s application being sent back for fresh consideration by a different officer.

Ms Justice Hyland noted there was consent for the orders, which she made before striking out the proceedings.

Ms McDonagh alleges the council said that letting to her “at this time would not be in the interests of good estate management”. This, the council allegedly said, is permitted under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act of 1997.

Ms McDonagh said she was “most distressed” by the development and “completely at a loss” as to why her application was deferred.

In correspondence with the Traveller Visibility Group, which was communicating on Ms McDonagh’s behalf, a council representative allegedly said “it would be my view” that the deferral was due to information arising during “pre-allocation checks” that would have determined that Ms McDonagh’s household would be a “cause for concern for Cork City Council”.

Ms McDonagh could continue to access supports such as the Housing Assistance Payment, the response allegedly continued.