Council explains decision to evict elderly woman
NOTICE SERVED TO HOUSE AT WOLFE TONE VILLAS
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Wednesday July 28 2010
ALLEGED DRUG dealing, the state of the garden and the occupation of her house by her granddaughter are among the reasons Wexford Borough Council has given for its decision to evict an 81-year-old woman from her home.
Wexford Borough Council last week refused to comment on the matter, stating that it didn't comment on individual cases, but Town Clerk Pat Collins yesterday (Tuesday) issued a statement outlining the position of the local authority.
The Council has served a Notice to Quit on Elizabeth Busher, of 16 Wolfe Tone Villas, requiring her to 'deliver up' the house she has lived in since 1952 by August 9 next, despite the fact that she is up-to-date with her weekly rent of €33.
The local authority point out that Mrs Busher, who suffers with Alzheimer's disease, is a long-stay patient in St John's Hospital in Enniscorthy since 2005 and has had just seven overnight stays away from the hospital since then.
'Firstly, the Council received a letter from the HSE in October 2008 about the condition of back garden at number 16, which was overgrown, with bags of rubbish visible through the undergrowth,' the Council said.
'Secondly, Mrs Busher's granddaughter took up occupation of number 16 around Christmas 2009, without the permission of Wexford Borough Council, when her own house was damaged by fire.
'A third factor was an unconfirmed allegation received in February 2010 that drugs were being sold from the house. While the allegation about the sale of drugs is not confirmed, it appears that the house was being used, again without the permission of Wexford Borough Council,' the Council said.
While the Notice to Quit has been served, the Council said this does not mean Mrs Busher will be 'removed' from the house on August 9 as the procedure is a lengthy process, which gives the person on whom the notice is being served time to put forward proposals to resolve the matter.
' The Council will consider any reasonable proposal, including any medical opinions expressed by the HSE, which would have a bearing on the case,' it said.
- CONOR CULLEN
