LETTER: A plea for help to find a Mayo family home

Sir,

I recently had to move out of the house my partner and I were renting in Mayo for a number of years.

The house was being moved back into by the landlord and now I can't find a home that we and our young child can afford.

I also have three other children from a previous relationship who stay with me every second weekend.

We went to our local council office where we filled out the necessary forms and were told we earn too much.

If my maintenance payments were taken into account we'd fall below the amount needed to qualify for HAPs or housing.

I don't understand why maintenance payments are not counted as outgoing in this country.

I’ve always done my best for my kids and the past few months have been mentally draining, having to pack up all our memories into boxes that we built up over the last few years and pack all our stuff into a 20ft container to store.

With the ongoing price increases on everything, it is next to impossible to save.

I know I’m not the only one out there in this situation.

But something needs to be brought into place to make it easier for families like ours to own their own home.

We all deserve that right, a back garden for our kids to grow, a place to call home.

Yours,

Frustrated house-seeker.

(Name and address with editor).