Returning emigrants seeking emergency accommodation place an increasing strain on limited resources.
In Westmeath alone, there are currently 500 people waiting for local authority housing and the waiting time will only get longer as resources are allocated to provide emergency accommodation for returning emigrants. In the last six weeks, eight families representing 25 individuals have presented themselves to Westmeath County Council as homeless. Most of these applicants have just returned from England and Wales and many of the families have young children making their needs even more critical.
They say they need immediate accommodation.
Athlone and Mullingar towns have been most impacted by the recent influx of returning emigrants. The council has resorted to using bed and breakfast facilities to accommodate those in need on a temporary basis.
As the law stands at the moment, local authorities are obliged to provide housing to people who declare themselves to be homeless.
Manager of Westmeath County Council Jack Taaffe says they have experienced a blitz in the demand for housing and are now worried that this is the beginning of a trend.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 13 December 1993. The reporter is Tom Kelly.
