A pregnant mum said she would rather be in emergency accommodation than the flat she claims is infested with cockroaches.
Donna Crowley is due to have her fourth child next week and shares a tiny converted attic flat with partner John and their three young kids on Cork’s northside.
The privately–rented accommodation – for which they receive Housing Assistance Payment support – is in a dilapidated state.
And Donna said on Wednesday she can no longer bear to stay in a flat which is severely affecting their health despite their landlord’s efforts to help.
She added: “We are at our wits’ end, it’s like living in hell. The kids are sick all of the time. They have skin infections, chest infections, they are constantly running fevers, we are always at the doctor’s.
“My little girl has nightmares about rats and bugs, we sit there and we can hear them running around in the kitchen, in the cooker, in and out of the presses. They’ve flown out at us.”
Donna has been told by her own doctor that the stress and threat to her health is severely affecting her.
She added: “We just want a clean and comfortable place. They are just kids. Surely they have a right to that – surely every Irish child has a right to that?”
Cork city council has been contacted about Donna’s case.
