Leitrim County Council has sourced emergency accommodation for a family who claim they have nowhere to go because they cannot stay at a property they claim is harming their health, the High Court has heard.
The court also heard that the council have offered them a transfer to another property, but that house will not be ready until a date in September.
Thomas and Louise Stokes, along with their five young children, had sued the council claiming they can no longer reside at a property provided for them by the local authority in Mount Temple, Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim.
They said they had to leave that house and most recently had been staying with relatives.
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Represented by Nuala Egan SC, they claim they are currently in dire need of suitable accommodation.
Earlier this month the family launched proceedings challenging the county council’s decision that they are not homeless.
They also seek orders quashing the council’s alleged refusal to agree to their request for a social housing transfer..
When the matter returned before Mr Justice Rory Mulcahy during Tuesday’s vacation sitting of the High Court, counsel for Leitrim County Council Christopher Hughes, defending, said his client had sourced emergency accommodation for the family, which will be available to them in coming days.
Counsel also told the court that the family have been offered a transfer to another property, which they have yet to decide on.
Counsel, who said his client needed some time to fully respond to the claims against it, said it was hoped that this transfer offer could resolve much of what has been raised in the proceedings.
In reply Ms Egan for the family said while they welcomed the provision of emergency accommodation, the family needed more information about the suitability of the new property being offered to them before they can accept the transfer.
In the meantime, they were anxious for the case to remain live before the courts.
Mr Justice Mulcahy agreed to adjourn the matter to a date in early September.
In their action the family claims that since they moved into the Mount Temple property five years ago their health has been adversely affected due to dampness and mould in the house.
They claim the mould was so bad that they were forced to sleep downstairs rather than in the upstairs bedrooms of the property.
They said the council carried out some works to alleviate the problems, but these were insufficient, and that when they had lived there the property was not fit for human habitation.
Their children’s health was severely affected, and some of them needed to be hospitalised due to respiratory problems.
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