Mum and son, 5, sleeping in tent outside city hall amid freezing conditions
A homeless mum who is sleeping in a tent outside with her child says she doesn't know if she can "last longer in this world" if she can't find a bed before Christmas.
Charlene Whelan, 29, has been sleeping rough with her five-year-old son for two days outside of Limerick City and County Council offices in Ireland. She was staying with a close friend up until this week.
The mum, from O'Malley Park, said she has desperately been searching for accommodation and can't book a hotel because she barely has any money left. She fears for the health of her son, who also suffers from asthma as forecasters issued a Status Yellow “Low Temperature / Ice Warning”.
Charlene and her son have been sleeping by City Hall (Wikimedia Commons)“Last night was very cold, nearly -2 degrees Celsius," she told The Irish Mirror on Monday. “I got all my son’s teddy bears and little blankets to keep him comforted and I even brought along his dog so we had heat from the dog, thank god."
The mum continued: "I woke up during the night and saw that my son’s face was close up to the tent, so between the rain and (lack of) insulation, it was very very unsafe and very unhealthy as my son has asthma and eczema. My son’s immune system is run down, he doesn’t understand why no one is helping us, he thinks everyone is mean. I had to set my alarm and wake up every hour because I feared that my son would sleep in a corner on a wet patch.”
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Becoming emotional, Ms Whelan said: “I don't know how we survived it, and if I don't get help as soon as possible, especially before Christmas, I don't think I will last longer in this world. I feel like I am failing my son because my son is asking me why is no one helping me, and why is this happening to us,” she said, fighting back tears. I actually have nowhere to go that is safe for my son. He is five years old, he is my baby, he is my life.”
Ms Whelan said she felt that homeless services in the city were unsafe for her and her son. She explained she was “barred” from Limerick City and County Council’s homeless action services last year up until November 17th this year, due to an alleged incident which she said was not her fault and which she has issued a complaint to the Council.
Ms Whelan, who previously worked as a cleaner, said she remains unable to access emergency accommodation in the city and cannot continue to call on family and friends for help. She said her and her son’s current situation is chaotic. “All I want is a routine for my son. The homeless action group refused me a bed for my child.”
“I stayed outside Limerick city council last night in a tent with my son and it was hurtful because my son went to sleep last night baffled he doesn't know who is safe any more. I tried to look for accommodation, I was ringing hotels, I tried my best, but I could not get anywhere, because I had no money, I only have €40/€50 in my pocket and that’s not enough for a hotel, so I had no other option but to sleep rough with my child.”
"I was barred (from the council’s emergency homeless services) a year until 17th November, but it’s been two weeks since then and I am still not entitled to a bed.” The Mirror has contacted Limerick City Council for comment.
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