COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, February 11, 2019

MOTION NO. 3

MOTION: Councillor B. Leech

Due to the number of Termination of Tenancy notices served by Tuath Housing on the Transitional Tenants in Tallaght Cross for over holding on their 18 month lease, that this Council engage with Tuath Housing and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Eoghan Murphy and confirm that homeless people in Transitional Housing will not be pursued through the Residential Tenancies Board and that any actions involving the RTB and Tuath Housing at the Tallaght Cross units be withdrawn.

REPORT:

Tallaght Cross falls into the category of transitional accommodation, as defined under the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015, as follows: ‘transitional dwelling’ means a dwelling that an approved housing body leases for periods not exceeding 18 months for the purposes of the approved housing body concerned’.

Transitional accommodation serves a specific purpose and can include such services as homeless services, domestic violence services, and specific services for people with disabilities, amongst others.  Residents of transitional housing are advised before occupation and at the signing of their lease that, for legal reasons, they cannot remain in a property for more than 18 months and accordingly some tenancies approaching 18 months may be determined through engagement with the Residential Tenancies Board.

The transitional accommodation available in Tallaght Cross provides medium-term accommodation along with on-site support from Focus Ireland to assist families in their search for permanent accommodation.  Families residing in Tallaght Cross are advised and encouraged from the outset of their tenure to engage with Choice Based Letting (CBL) and the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) Placefinder services provided by the Council to source more stable and secure accommodation tenures with residents nearing the completion of their 18 month tenure also having access to Homeless HAP.

It is vital that residents engage with the appropriate supports and opportunities to move on from Tallaght Cross for their own benefit to improve their security of tenure and to avoid over-holding their lease as well as allowing the accommodation to be utilised for other families residing in B&Bs, hotels and hostels  the opportunity to avail of this facility and an 18 month breathing space to find more suitable permanent accommodation.

It should be noted that no residents have at any stage been evicted from Tallaght Cross for not moving on within or after the 18 month transitional period and the Council, together with Túath & Focus are committed to ensuring that suitable longer-term homes are sourced for residents who have reached the end of their 18-months lease.