Families in Tramore at risk of forced eviction

Families settling in Waterford are facing eviction from an International Protection Accommodation Service centre in Tramore. 

On Tuesday, July 15, Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Waterford branch came to Ocean View House to help advocate for the men, women and children facing displacement to Mayo. 

The residents have received refugee status and have been integrating into the Déise. The sudden move would impact gravely on the families, especially the dozen children who are attending school locally.

Communications officer at CATU Waterford Killian Mangan said: "This will mean forcing residents to lose the jobs they've obtained and instead move onto social welfare. It will mean pulling 12 children out of their schools, causing severe emotional harm by sending them to a completely unfamiliar environment. It will mean us losing valuable members of our community in Tramore."

He continued: "There is absolutely no sense to this government decision - it will cause those in employment to become unemployed. It will punish those involved in the community for successfully integrating and it will cause major emotional harm to all involved. 

"IPAS and the Government say that the relocation is to make room for new asylum seekers in Tramore, but in that case, why aren’t the newer asylum seekers sent to Mayo instead of uprooting families already integrated in Tramore?"

"At CATU, we will continue to fight every eviction into homelessness; each and every homeless person is a stain on this government’s record, and is a completely avoidable situation in one of the richest countries in the entire world."

Earlier this year, there was another report of a woman with refugee status being told to leave an IPAS centre in Waterford City to go to Donegal, a place where she had no connections, supports or community. Similar to the issue in Tramore, the centre had told the woman that they had to 'make room' for new arrivals, despite her being integrated into the community. 

CATU helped the woman resist the forced relocation. 

Housing crisis

The residents at Ocean View have tried to find alternative accommodation in Waterford, but haven't been able to find secure a place due to the housing crisis.

One resident, named Philomene, has been living in Waterford for 6 years and has made a home here. She said: "I have integrated into the Tramore community, have references, and am registered to study in SETU. It has now been 6 years living in Tramore, working and integrating into the community, and my wish is to find a house here to live, not to be relocated away from everything I know."

She spoke about the stress of trying to find a home that is affordable and accessible for herself and her daughter: "Despite attending countless viewings, and sending many emails on Daft.ie, I have come up against closed doors everywhere and everytime. Sometimes, the rent is beyond what any family can afford and other times there are simply not enough homes available to rent.

"The emotional, psychological, and even physical toll this has taken on me and my child are overwhelming and this is affecting my mental and physical health. I am not alone in this struggle, this crisis is suffocating families, especially children who deserve stability, safety, hope and a home. 

"It is heart breaking to feel so powerless watching my child face such uncertainty, terrified of leaving home in Tramore, losing her life in school where she has made many close friends."

"Like many of us being threatened with eviction, I have a health condition which makes relocation to Mayo a dangerous change with potentially serious effects. I am currently receiving specialist treatment for my hypertension and menorrhagia, asthma and iron deficiency anemia, with upcoming appointments at UWH - relocation will put all of this at risk.’

According to CATU, there are plans for additional evictions on Monday, July 21 and Monday July 28.