The Disappointed: Vanessa Moss and fiancée Robert Arkins arrived at the GAA hall in Finglas/Glasnevin in high spirits, ready for the draw which might net them one of 35 houses at Griffith Close in Glasnevin.
They live with composer Robert's 10-year-old son Milo in a rented house in Sandymount and Vanessa works as a fundraiser for Amnesty International.
Their landlady had said she would be giving notice, so somewhere to live was a priority. Some months ago, they paid €50 to register for the docklands affordable scheme and another €30 to qualify for a place when Griffith Close came up.
"The first draw was for eight or 10 houses and about 30 names went into the draw. Those who weren't successful went back into the next draw - about 40 people for 10 houses. In the third draw, about 100 names went into the drum for around five houses. We were in the fourth draw, with 50 or 60 names for just eight houses.
"What had seemed to be a one in 15 chance had turned out to be almost impossible odds. A disproportionate number of people who lived on the same road got houses. Sitting in front of us was a pregnant woman with two kids who needed a house more than we did and she was at her third draw! We were so despondent.
"Robert and I have decided it's all a waste of money and a bit of a scam. We're never going to have a fair chance. If we had known at the start that we were such a low priority, we wouldn't have bothered. The draw was heartbreaking - everyone seemed to have a bad taste in their mouth afterwards."
