Mother Sleeping In Car With 8-Week-Old Baby Tells Kfm She Has "Nowhere To Go" Amid Legal Complexities

The situation is said to have become more acute over the weekend when hotel accommodation, initially provided by Kildare County Council, was unavailable due to high demand caused by the Electric Picnic festival.

The mother of an 8-week-old baby is sleeping in her car.

Mary Rock, also known as Molly, from Allenwood, contacted Kfm on Saturday in a state of distress, saying she was put up in a hotel on Friday night but she had to check out on Saturday.

Kfm understands that Mary's request for housing is being complicated by the fact she is on the deeds of her mother's home, which Mary says is "uninhabitable" and tied up in the Fair Deal Scheme.

Typically, an individual whose name is on the deeds of a home would not qualify for accommodation assistance, placing Molly in a catch-22 situation.

Kfm understands that efforts are being made by local representatives to explore alternative options, such as the Vacant Property Grant.

The situation is said to have become more acute over the weekend when hotel accommodation, initially provided by Kildare County Council, was unavailable due to high demand caused by the Electric Picnic festival.

Speaking to Kfm on Saturday from the hotel in Naas, Mary said she "has nowhere to go".

She said she was terrified to go downstairs in the hotel incase they told her she had to leave.

She said she had been couch surfing with friends and family but that it is no longer sustainable, forcing her to sleep in her car.

A spokesperson for Kildare County Council said they do not comment on individual cases.

Cllr Chris Pender is aware of Mary's case and is in the process of making an appeal to Kildare County Council.

"People feel forced to leave their homes for a multitude of reasons. You do have more people forced into positions of sleeping rough because they have no other options," he said.

He said Mary's situation is "not as rare" as people think.

He said she is tied up in the "most sickening" bureaucracy.

He said Kildare County Council are trying to support her in "whatever way they can".

A spokesperson for Kildare County Council said: "When individuals present as homeless an assessment is carried out by the homeless team. Each case is considered on its own merits at the time of presentation and is dependent on the complexities or needs of the person or family presenting."

They added: "Every effort is made by the Homeless team in Kildare County Council to assist applicants and determine their needs. Social Housing Allocations are made in accordance with Kildare County Council's Allocations policy. The Homeless Team will be able to assist and advise and can be contacted at Homelessadmin@kildarecoco.ie or @ 045 980230."