War of words in City Hall
Councillors have clashed over the bed and breakfast policy for people in emergency accommodation.
It came after Fianna Fáil Cllr Tim Brosnan objected to the wording of a report by City Hall management clarifying its policy on booking bed and breakfast emergency accommodation at Tuesday’s council meeting.
The report said: “It is the policy of Cork City Council, when booking emergency accommodation, to include breakfast in the booking whenever it is possible. Breakfast is always provided at the discretion of the accommodation provider concerned.”
Cllr Brosnan said the first line of the report, ending with, “whenever this is possible” was sufficient.
He said he would not support the report unless an amendment was made removing the subsequent reference to ‘discretion’.
Director of Housing Brian Geaney responded that he believed his report was “factually correct”, saying that “on very rare occasions” accommodations may refuse to offer breakfast due to “behavioural issues”.
He said the council prioritised bookings which included breakfast, and that it had received one complaint in relation to breakfast not being provided in hotel/bed and breakfast accommodation.
The report also said that on occasion room-only bookings were the only option available when booking emergency accommodation, particularly when a presentation was made late in the day.
Sinn Féin's Chris O’Leary said he did not agree with Cllr Brosnan, who proposed the original motion following a debate on PJ Coogan’s ‘Opinion Line’ on Cork’s 96FM.
He said the housing committee had questioned City Hall's housing officials for several weeks, and added: “We’re competing against the market, and we’ve seen here tonight the difficulty in actually finding any rooms to book as emergency accommodation last weekend during Easter.
“Are we now asking the director not to provide accommodation at all where there is no breakfast available? You’ll then have someone on the streets where they should be in emergency accommodation.”
A vote on whether or not to accept the report was held and passed with 12 votes for to five against, with no abstentions.