Family living in dread of eviction letter

A young family, living in a mobile home in their mother’s back yard, have called for homes like theirs to be included in proposed changes to planning laws for modular homes and cabins in back gardens.

Currently extensions of up to 40 square metres to a home can be built without planning permission. However, where the structure is not attached to the home, planning must be sought.

A notice was served on Ballyhaise man, Eoin McGovern, to remove the mobile home from his mother’s property by October of last year. Eoin says he hadn’t realised, because the home was on wheels, that he needed planning permission to put it there, which he does not have.

The father of two young children and his partner Maria have been living at the home since and have not received any further notice from Cavan County Council. He believes the government should grant temporary planning exemptions to families in his situation, until they can save up enough money to be able to get a mortgage.

Despite being “a bit worried” about “going public” with his story again, Eoin wants to see change for people in his situation.

“If I don’t do this, I won’t be helping myself or anybody else. If I can do one bit of good for a lot of people, I think I should.”

Eoin’s story first hit the headlines late last year as the pre-General election spotlight focussed on housing issues.

Four months on, he acknowledges that the proposed new laws are “a step in the right direction” but he wants them to be extended to include mobile homes.

“I’m just hoping now that they can give the temporary planning exemption for mobile homes as well.

“I still have to fight, I still have to try and get everything sorted for the family,” he said of his current situation.

Eoin says there is “a lot” of young families in mobile homes who are now going to be in modular homes and cabins because “they don’t have enough money saved” to buy a house. He explained that it’s hard for young families to get mortgage approval, something he is currently trying to secure.

“Once I do get it, I will sell the mobile home, I won’t be here.

“I’m not looking for a permanent planning exemption for a mobile home, it wouldn’t be right really because then there’d be loads of mobile homes around the country.”

The home is located in his mother’s back yard and is connected to her electricity and services. Eoin still fears that he will be served an eviction notice on the property before he’s in a position to move.

“I don’t want to get that letter, definitely not.

“We’ve enough to worry about with kids and working, it’s all go seven days a week, we’re doing our best.

“I don’t really want to think about that [eviction] to be honest,” he said, adding that he would “try and get protesting” and “get a petition signed” if it were to happen.

“I’m hoping if this comes out with the modular homes, maybe it can put a stop to all of this.

“A mobile home is basically a modular home on wheels,” he said.

“I don’t really know exactly what my plan would be but I’d have to think of something,” he said, hoping that “people can put themselves in my shoes” and hope “that they don’t evict me and my kids and my partner”.

“It would be a really bad thing to do now to be honest.”

Senator prepared to sit in Seanad all night

Last week, Aontú Senator Sarah O’Reilly once again raised the plight of Eoin and his family in the Houses of the Oireachtas. She vowed to stay in the Seanad all night if it means that proposed planning changes for modular homes could be passed to include caravans and mobile homes.

Senator O’Reilly says that the proposed relaxation of planning laws around modular homes is “common sense and much needed” but says she has serious concerns about those living in “homes on wheels” saying there are people up and down the country who have invested in mobile homes in a bid to put a roof over the heads and who are living in constant fear of being evicted by local authorities.

“While I welcome the proposed planning changes, Aontú believes that we need a quick timeframe for the change. I’m prepared to sit in the Seanad all night to get this change passed through the house if necessary,” she pledged.

“We need a commitment also from the government that those currently under pressure and under threat of eviction will have a stay put on their eviction until the change is made,” concluded Senator O’Reilly.