Limerick man forced to live in trailer in friend’s back yard

A NORTHSIDE father-of-one has spoken of his hurt and pain after being reduced to living in a caravan in his friend's back yard.

Shane Reddan, 28, was evicted from his home in the Old Cork Road back in 2016 after his landlord decided to sell the property.

Since then, during spiralling rental prices, he has been unable to find accommodation for himself and his eight-year-old son Lee-Jay,

The Corpus Christi school student stays at Shane's sisters home, while the Kileely man remains in the caravan often without heat and electricity.

"I wasn't brought up in life to live in a trailer, or to be separated from my boy, to have a little child crying, wondering where I am and why I am not at home," he said.

At Christmas time, he said, he felt "lost".

"I felt I didn't have a family. There was nobody in the house as my mate had gone on holidays. In the winter-time on the dark nights, you don't have anyone to talk to.

No neighbour to call into. You just feel cordoned off from everyone."

He claims despite regular calls to Limerick City and County Council - where has been supported by Cllr Frankie Daly - the local authority has not been able to offer him a place to stay.

Shane said he would be willing to move into accommodation in the private market, so long as he has room for his little boy.

"I was looking at that option, and here's the situation I am left with: I have my own account on daft.ie, myhome.ie, and rent.ie. On those three sites, I have an email alert for any property worth up to €1,200. Within two years, I have received one email for a home in Ballingarry which is miles out," he said.

Shane has claimed the council have suggested he check into a homeless hostel.

But he said: "Every hostel in town is drug ridden. I don't want to be left in that situation".

"All I want is a house for me and my young fella so I can put him through school and give him the life I never had," he added.

Initially, Shane was living with no heat in the caravan in a hotel car park on the edge of the city, but it was only after his friend's intervention to allow him to move into his back garden that he was able to access an electricity supply.

Limerick City and County Council says it does not comment on individual cases.

But in a statement, they said they "work with all current and potential tenants to access accommodation."

"People can also access the Rental Accommodation Scheme and the Housing Assistance Payment scheme. Limerick Council would encourage anyone who is homeless or with a threat of  becoming homeless to contact our dedicated Limerick homeless action team for assistance".

They added: "A wide range of accommodation solutions are used for those who are experiencing homelessness including bed-and-breakfasts, hotels and hubs."