Humanity ‘apparently doesn’t exist any more’ for evicted couple

Violet and Martin Coyne said they "hadn't a clue" where they would sleep last night and contemplated the prospect of spending the night in a van after being evicted from their rented home of 15 years by bailiffs.

Mrs Coyne stood outside the Four Courts yesterday wearing the white and pink dressing gown and purple slippers in which she said she was “turfed out” of her Castleknock, Dublin, home that morning.

Visibly distraught and tearful after the court hearing, Mrs Coyne (61) rested her head on her husband’s shoulder. She asked: “What are we doing homeless?”

During the contempt of court hearing yesterday their barrister argued the eviction by the sheriff was illegal.

Beside her Mr Coyne (73), who arrived in court shoeless in his socks and wearing a jumper borrowed from a neighbour, said if they had been jailed, at least they would “have a roof” over their heads.

‘Angry with justice system’

Mr Coyne said they had been “looking for a little bit of humanity, which apparently doesn’t exist any more”. Mrs Coyne said she was “very angry with the justice system”.

Events unfolded at 7.30am yesterday when Mrs Coyne answered the door and bailiffs “put their foot inside” and asked them to leave.

ACC Bank is seeking repossession of the home because the landlord, Daragh Ward, went into receivership in 2012 and they want to sell the house to reduce his debt.

An order for vacation of the property had been first made in September 2013. The court made another order on March 27th and Mr Coyne had given a sworn undertaking to vacate the property when he came before the court on June 25th.

Supplement refused

The couple said they had tried to find somewhere else to live but Mrs Coyne said landlords would not take rent supplement “even as far as Cavan”. “We haven’t got a hope,” she said. The couple were paying €800 a month in rent but Mr Coyne yesterday said rents had “doubled” in their area. The receivers stopped accepting their rent cheques in December 2013.

They have a combined weekly income – through Mr Coyne’s State pension – of €363 and are entitled to a rent allowance of €700 a month.

Socialist Party TD Ruth Coppinger said there was "nowhere for them to go". Later, however, anonymous donors offered to pay for a hotel room for the night. She said she would approach the council today to see if emergency accommodation was available for the weeks ahead.

National crisis

“This case highlights the extent of the housing crisis in Ireland in 2014 ,” she said. The couple originally had a plan to buy the house from which they were evicted. Using some savings and a loan of €280,000, they bought a site nearby. Mr Coyne, a retired bricklayer, had a plan to build a house with his three sons, and sell it on completion. The house was finished in 2007 but a buyer pulled out and it was repossessed in 2008 and the loan written off.

Last night about 30 supporters gathered outside the repossessed home, as the pair’s personal belongings were returned to them.

Their case has been adjourned until October 7th. Asked what they would do in the interim, Mr Coyne said, “I don’t honestly know”.