Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I again raise the issue of Seán Meehan, a 65-year-old Tipperary man who built his own log cabin to house himself following a marriage breakdown. Tipperary County Council has refused planning permission and retention permission. Mr. Meehan is facing jail if he does not have the structure removed by 4 April. How come hundreds of modular units can be placed by the State on land without planning permission, for example, at Flood's Cross in Naas, to house refugees, while the State is threatening a single Irishman who placed a modular unit on his land in order to provide for his own housing needs with jail? He has been sentenced. Mr. Meehan has two choices. He can make himself homeless or go to jail. Will this Government introduce a statutory instrument for the hundreds, maybe thousands, of people like Mr. Meehan who are using modular homes and log cabins to house themselves in the middle of a savage housing crisis? I have asked for this already. Our group brought in a motion, and it was not done. It would take the stroke of a pen to allow these structures to be retained and house people rather than those people being on the homeless list.

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