Last homeless family vacates Lynam’s Hotel

The last remaining homeless family has moved out of Lynam's Hotel in Dublin, which has to close today on orders of the High Court, Dublin City Council has confirmed.

Last Friday, the High Court heard alternative accommodation had been accepted by four of five families living in the hotel located near the Spire on Upper O’Connell Street, but the council said a fifth family had “refused to engage”.

A spokeswoman for the council said yesterday it had now accommodated all homeless families who had been living in the hotel.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan had set an August 1st deadline for hotel operator Theresa Andreucetti to vacate the hotel. It will come under the control of Nama-appointed receiver Aidan Murphy of Crowe Horwath. Nama has offered to facilitate its sale to Dublin City Council.

The hotel could then be used as a dedicated emergency accommodation facility. A spokeswoman for the Dublin Region Homeless Executive had said it and the council were “currently in negotiations”.