‘Modular’ housing for homeless families to go on display

Examples of prefabricated “modular” housing that could be used to accommodate homeless families in Dublin will go on display in coming weeks.

A Dublin Region Homeless Executive (DRHE) spokeswoman confirmed a site was being assessed for the display in Dublin 3.

She said a number of modular housing providers, who had been in contact with Dublin City Council expressing interest in providing such housing, would erect a unit each on the site by late next month or early September.

The units would be fully-fitted homes and would include one- and two-bedroom accommodation. They would be on display for two to four weeks.

She said that the aim of putting examples of modular housing on display was to “contribute to the debate” about its viability as a temporary form of quality accommodation.

The council hopes modular housing can be used as an alternative to hotel rooms for the increasing number of homeless families in the capital.

Of particular concern is the welfare of children, some of whom have spent more than a year living in one room.

The number of children in emergency accommodation in Dublin has almost doubled in one year, with the figure standing at 1,122 last month. compared with 567 in June last year.

Homelessness plan

Last month DRHE indicated that it hoped to erect up to 400 units of modular housing on vacant sites around the city.

On June 3rd, the Dublin Joint Homelessness Consultative Forum formally adopted a plan to “develop and propose a modular housing typology that can develop and rapidly construct quality housing units to required standards”.

The announcement met little opposition, in contrast to the strong political opposition last September when the council's head of housing, Dick Brady, first mooted the idea of erecting 200 units of prefabricated modular housing to accommodate homeless families.

The DRHE spokeswoman stressed the housing would be temporary and would be provided against a backdrop of a planned increase in social housing.