Mother - whose partner drowned last year - and five children forced to live in car

Division

This is the headline from an independent.ie article today:

"Mother - whose partner drowned last year - and five children forced to live in car outside cemetery"

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Story in a nutshell:

A mother got a free house from the council in a nice area of Co. Clare for her and her 5 children.

It was a countryside area, lush green fields, farm animals, fresh air, ect. You get the picture.

She was bored. Not a lot of entertainment around this area, unless you factor in the hundred or so activities available to anyone willing to move their ass.

The children didn't fancy looking out the window at cows apparently. Most of us who grew up in the countryside can understand this boredom from time to time but it didn't do us any harm. If anything we had a healthy lifestyle.

So this 'mother' left this free house in a beautiful countryside area and went to Cork hoping to get a free house there where there was more things to do in the city and took her 5 children with her.

She wasn't given a free house immediately so she put her kids into a car, parked it outside a cemetery in Cork and had an Independent journalist (if you can even call most of them journalists anymore) take a picture of them all looking very sad and made a claim that they sleep in the car beside this cemetery.

The headline is disgraceful:
"Mother" - that is very debatable and seems to be in name only!
"whose partner drowned last year" - very sad but irrelevant to this story.
"five children forced to live in car outside cemetery" nobody forced them to live in a car outside a cemetery. They had a lovely home in a very scenic area.

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I don't normally post about issues like this but this one genuinely annoyed me.

To report this or any other form of child neglect this is the place: http://www.tusla.ie/services/child-protection-welfare/contact-a-social-worker

I believe this is the journalist (not confirmed) that wrote this piece of nonsense and seems to have gone for the sensational story instead of being at all concerned that the mother has neglected her children's welfare for her own selfish reasons: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-kelleher-1317095a/

Finally here is a link to this article: http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mother-whose-partner-drowned-last-year-and-five-children-forced-to-live-in-car-outside-cemetery-35780673.html

Comments were available on this story and they all basically attacked the mother for being an eejit and putting her children in this situation. The comments are no longer there.

pilly

Listening to Niall Boylan this afternoon? Nothing to do?

goose2005

Focus Ireland got her the housing in Clare, not the council.

Kimbot

"I will take anything once they give us a roof over our heads"

Sorry love but you had a roof over your head and you chose to leave it.

livedadream

only point i can make as i dont know the facts is, legally having that many kids in the car is impossible to do safely.
lets say: two boaster seats for the two little ones, with the boy in the back, one girl in the front where does the other one sit?

razorblunt

A neighbour has already stated that the kids stay with the grandparents each night.

Division

goose2005 wrote: »

Focus Ireland got her the housing in Clare, not the council.

Does it matter who got her the house? Fact is she had it and she left with her 5 children!

Kimbot

livedadream wrote: »

only point i can make as i dont know the facts is, legally having that many kids in the car is impossible to do safely.
lets say: two boaster seats for the two little ones, with the boy in the back, one girl in the front where does the other one sit?

Sure the mother isn't concerned with that.

Ms Doubtfire1

uhg.People.:mad:

Ush1

Is that not a lot of kids to have if you're already on state subsidised housing?

I certainly couldn't afford five kids, never mind have the time and energy to rear them right.

whoopsadoodles

How did she get there with 6 people in a 5 seater car?

Teyla Emmagan

That photo is hysterical.

NIMAN

Making yourself homeless seems to be a trend now.

As does getting your mug in the media in the hope it'll get you handed whatever you ask for. This tactic has worked for a few already, but if everyone starts it, it will become stale very quickly.

Stories like this aren't helping the homeless one bit. As most of the comments showed, the general public can see though crap. The bleeding hearts will of course blame the Government.

riffmongous

I don't get the bit in the Indo article about her being in arrears on a house she lived in over a decade ago, am I reading it wrong?

J.pilkington

If I understand correctly this woman has a free house in Ireland, didn't pay her nominal rent and moved to the UK for at least 10years (so some of her children were born there) then returns home and gets a free house for a 2nd time but doesn't like it so contacts a thrash paper to spin lies.

I'm sorry but why should she priority over genuine Irish families for a THIRD time?

razorblunt

riffmongous wrote: »

I don't get the bit in the Indo article about her being in arrears on a house she lived in over a decade ago, am I reading it wrong?

It seems she left Cork to go live in the UK, may have left with arrears on her account. Now she's come back to Cork and gone through the system again it's been flagged.

Conservative

Amazing when you scratch beneath the surface of any of these homeless cases they are complete boll*cks. The people representing and encouraging these people (portrayed as heroes and modern day saints by the media) should be ashamed of themselves.


Take the kids off her and leave her in the car. Problem solved.

Doctor Nick

Lol. Saw this article today. Wondered how long it would take to see it on AH.

Straight to the back of the queue she should go. Giving up a house for one closer to family is not acceptable. She can travel after all!

silverharp

as the story is being told in the papers with certain facts omitted for extra sympathy , going to keep interest levels to a minimum.

riffmongous

razorblunt wrote: »

It seems she left Cork to go live in the UK, may have left with arrears on her account. Now she's come back to Cork and gone through the system again it's been flagged.

Ah, that makes some sense

Conservative

Conservative wrote: »

Amazing when you scratch beneath the surface of any of these homeless cases they are complete boll*cks. The people representing and encouraging these people (portrayed as heroes and modern day saints by the media) should be ashamed of themselves.


Take the kids off her and leave her in the car. Problem solved.

What I find amazing, is that Journalists, dont seem to bother their hole checking stories any more.

I also think its very sad, that parents choose to put the children on the pages of newspapers, for some form of sympathy. Instead, Id say the children will be subject to ridicule from their school mates and others.

Macy0161

But.... The Banks!

Turfcutter

Jake1 wrote: »

What I find amazing, is that Journalists, dont seem to bother their hole checking stories any more.

They probably do, but ignore certain facts that detract from the sensationalist aspect to the story.
Not too many people are paying attention when it starts to unravel a few days after.

pc7

How much is child benefit for 5 kids, one parent family, she's probably on careers allowance (maybe), then add in respite grant if she is. How much is that a month along with free medical card, back to school allowance and a house she walked away from! Horrible carry on pimping the kids out like that, pure bs.

bucketybuck

Jake1 wrote: »

What I find amazing, is that Journalists, dont seem to bother their hole checking stories any more.

The journalist that used the word "forced" in that headline has not one ounce of integrity.

The only way "force" should be there is if the headline was "derelict mother forcing her kids to live in a car".

Kimbot

bucketybuck wrote: »

The journalist that used the word "forced" in that headline has not one ounce of integrity.

The only way "force" should be there is if the headline was "derelict mother forcing her kids to live in a car".

Since when have Reporter and Integrity been acceptable in the same sentance :pac:

bucketybuck

bucketybuck wrote: »

The journalist that used the word "forced" in that headline has not one ounce of integrity.

Exactly. The only who 'forced' those children, is the mother.

Im very sorry for her loss, terrible thing to happen to any young family, but come on, love, you had a house!!!!
Why on earth would anyone give up a roof over their heads is beyond me.

valoren

The use of her brother dying young, her mother being sick and her partner drowning is completely irrelevant and sickening exploitation of anyone having to listen to or read about this.

Richard needs to get the Luas to work. His father offered him a used Ford Mondeo, taxed and insured, for his daily commute.
"I didn't like the colour - it got me down - it was navy and I like red better". His dog died when he was 12.

His father offered to pay for a spray painting service but said there was back orders and it would need to be done next week.
"It got to the point where I couldn't bring myself to drive it, it being Navy and all - I now have to fork out for Luas tickets, it's getting me down"
His family cat got run over by a FORD when he was 15.

"I can't understand it, my father drives a red Audi - I can't understand it at all"
He had to flush his goldfish down the toilet when he was 18.

etc

_Whimsical_

This is just so depressing because it really damages the credibility of the many genuine people who do face desperate need.

This woman needs a serious talking to. A "go home or we take the kids off you".
It's a 2 hour journey in the car, she could go to Cork every weekend.
She absolutely cannot be given in to. Next we'll have someone willing to kill one of their kids or threatening to jump off a bridge if they don't get the house they want.

Our current media has spawned a disgusting element in society of people willing to degrade themselves, humiliate their kids, neglect their kids for attention and manipulation purposes. They really do bare a big chunk of the blame for this sort of stunt.

Beta Ray Bill

These stories are getting all to common

The sense of entitlement these people have is outrageous.
They get a free house and financial support off the council or some other body.
But they aren't satisfied with that, they like the rest of us want More! except they're not prepared to work for it.

The whole system is a joke really.
A woman who had a house, is using her kids as leverage to get another house by forcing them to sleep in a Car outside a cemetery where the kids Dad is buried is nothing shot of disgusting. She's mentally scaring those kids for life.

Tusla should step in there and take kids from her care, cause clearly she isn't able to look after them.

And what the f*ck was she doing have 5 anyway without her own Home to raise them in?

My whole opinion on Social housing is this: There should be NONE!
Contraceptives should be free, so if you end up having a kid and have no home, that's on you... Not the state.
And if you display signs that you can't look after them, then the state should take them, and give them to a family that can - There's enough couples out there that can't even have kids for f*ck sake.

Those kids would have far better chance with a proper, responsible parents.
They haven't a chance with her.

Atlantic Dawn

At a guess she will be calling Liveline on Tuesday.

I might call in too, I'd prefer a house in Dalkey as there would be less traffic than I experience in my current house...so to speak.

Mzo1978

This does my head in. My own brothers partner was widowed 7 years ago has 5 girls works part time and because she was short 2 hours work her social welfare claim or did was cut 100e she struggles so badly with her young family yet the likes of this woman gets hand out after hand out it's so so wrong

VinLieger

Also dont forget shes bringing up 5 kids who will be taught the same values as their mother that the state will give you everything if you complain, work the system the right way and look desperate enough and that they wont need to work hard a day in their lives

endacl

Macy0161 wrote: »

But.... The Banks!

You spelled 'duh bannnkerzzzz' incorrectly.

Beta Ray Bill

VinLieger wrote: »

Also dont forget shes bringing up 5 kids who will be taught the same values as their mother that the state will give you everything if you complain, work the system the right way and look desperate enough and that they wont need to work hard a day in their lives

Exactly

The problem is snow balling down hill.

Giving her a home is just adding more snow!

valoren

Ms O'Regan's father, Thomas, said he was very disillusioned with a political system which allows a single mother of five to become homeless.
The neck of some people.

Incredible lack of self awareness.
She GOT a house provided. She left it of her own accord with 5 children.
She didn't like where she was the poor craytur.
That's not a flawed system, that's negligence. She is homeless now through her own delusions and trying to bluff her way into a place closer to home content to use her children as bargaining chips.

As if she is the only one in need of social housing.
What is infuriating is that this sick stunt of entitlement and the gutter press who pounce on it and spread it will whisk her to the front of that waiting queue.
Meanwhile those also in need and with their integrity and class still intact will continue to wait as Assholes like that get accomodated. Literally.

ohnonotgmail

pc7 wrote: »

How much is child benefit for 5 kids, one parent family, she's probably on careers allowance (maybe), then add in respite grant if she is. How much is that a month along with free medical card, back to school allowance and a house she walked away from! Horrible carry on pimping the kids out like that, pure bs.

I looked this up out of curiosity. €700 a month.

Wanderer78

Keep the recovery going!

valoren

Childrens Allowance - 700 per month
Social Welfare one parent family - 752
payment per additional child (29.80 a week each) - 596

Total - 2,048 per month.

Just a guess, not sure how SW rates apply to individual cases.

MOH

jonnycivic wrote: »

Since when have Reporter and Integrity been acceptable in the same sentance :pac:

Irish Independent hasn't had either for a long time

ART6

Apparently a surprisingly large number of people turn down social housing offers, claiming that the property was in an unsatisfactory area/didn't have a big enough garden/didn't have the room to park the family's two cars? didn't have an acceptable kitchen etc etc. It all puzzles me -- if my family was homeless and I was offered social housing I would bite off arms to get it, because it would give me time to recover my situation and if possible move on. If the property was in an unliked area, so what? It keeps the rain out!

I agree with some of the other posters in this thread: there seems to be a growing sense of entitlement in some sectors of the "disadvantaged" where they fail to grasp that welfare and social housing is a back-stop, not a lifestyle option. That does no favours for those who are genuinely in need.

livedadream

stupid question but is that house in clare just empty? like do they have to wait for her to say i give it up or can they just throw someone else who might want it in there?

Beta Ray Bill

valoren wrote: »

Childrens Allowance - 700 per month
Social Welfare one parent family - 752
payment per additional child (29.80 a week each) - 596

Total - 2,048 per month.

Just a guess, not sure how SW rates apply to individual cases.

I hope to f*ck this is wrong!!!!

That's more than I have after paying for the mortgage!

This country is F*cked with this sh*t going on!

valoren

valoren wrote: »

Ms O'Regan's father, Thomas, said he was very disillusioned with a political system which allows a single mother of five to become homeless.
The neck of some people.



neck like a jockies..

punisher5112

One major issue is she has 5 kids and only 5 seats?¿ so who drives the car?

The car only comes with 5 seats and that's is all that can be in it any one time... Moving on a public road of course.

I am working so is my wife to be and we have been pushed further and further away from where we work and lived previous.

We get no help and yet pay for the likes of her through huge taxes and the rental money we are paying out as its highly taxed is also a huge chunk towards these that want it all handed to them.

topper75

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

That photo is hysterical.

I'd say it took a full minute on the clock before they could convince all the kids to do the sad face and stop smiling.

I love the style of the article too: "found she was in arrears on her rent".

One may find themselves caught in a rain shower going up to the shop.

But one doesn't find one's self in arrears on the rent. One, knowing the amount due as an adult and knowing the day it is due, simply does not pay (repeatedly).

I pondered as I read through the article where the sense of entitlement could come from, but there it was in the last sentence.

Division

punisher5112 wrote: »

One major issue is she has 5 kids and only 5 seats?¿ so who drives the car?

The car only comes with 5 seats and that's is all that can be in it any one time... Moving on a public road of course.

I am working so is my wife to be and we have been pushed further and further away from where we work and lived previous.

We get no help and yet pay for the likes of her through huge taxes and the rental money we are paying out as its highly taxed is also a huge chunk towards these that want it all handed to them.

While I don't mean to take anything away from each of your valid points, I am concerned for the kids welfare.

Anyone trying to pull a stunt like this should be investigated by Tusla / Child Social Services.

That is the most important thing about this case and nothing should distract from that until the kids are in a safe environment.

Junkyard Tom

Sorry.

jimmycrackcorm

Erica Fleming has set the standard for how mouthy you need to be to get a free gaffe. This woman is an amateur in comparison.

RhubarbCrumble

I'm actually starting to hate this country for constantly giving into people like this purely because of their sense of entitlement.

I've seen a similar situation myself with my partner's brother and his family recently. They have five children between them, and seem to be able to claim every benefit under the sun. Neither of them work (surprise surprise!) and they were recently given a house. The house is in a small estate in a quiet village, a nice spot.
Upon seeing the house the first thing they did was give out that they didn't like the fitted kitchen and that the garden wasn't big enough for the trampoline and swing set.
I actually felt like swinging for them myself when I heard them. My partner and I are both working, paying a mortgage, bills etc and are entitled to absolutely nothing. It's really starting to get to me that the harder you work in this country, the worse off you are.

washiskin

I'd really like to know what Focus Ireland have to say about this. Very quick to advocate on behalf of people like this woman but less willing to talk about the p*sstakers who go through the system.

I saw this headline on a paper passing a shop earlier and the first thing that crossed my mind was I wonder how many places did she turn down first?