'Absolutely drained' Kildare father pleads for new home
Photo for illustrative purposes only
AN ATHY father says two years of noise disruptions at his council apartment has robbed him and his child of sleep, with a huge effect on the child’s development.
The Athy resident moved into his apartment in 2021 and said he enjoyed “peace and quiet” in his home until over two years ago when loud noises from a neighbour began affecting his child’s everyday life.
He said the noise has escalated December 2025, as the man described shouting and arguing as early as 4am, waking his child from sleep and scaring him.
The man, who has PTSD, told the that him and his child are trauma survivors arising from past abuse. The loud noises are reportedly triggering panicked reactions from his young child, affecting their mental health and education.
When the noise began to escalate, the man submitted a housing re-allocation form to the council’s housing department which was formally rejected in February due to claims of the family being “adequately housed” in a two-bed apartment.
He has since appealed this decision, including providing evidence of his son’s “deterioration” due to lack of sleep.
On 17 March, in the early hours, the man’s child suffered a severe panic attack and was referred by the KDOC to the Paediatric Emergency Department at Midlands Regional Hospital.
The child’s father maintains that the panic attack was triggered from sudden loud bangs and structural noise in the building.
The man, who described himself as “wrecked and absolutely drained” as a result of his living situation, said: “There’s a huge difference between being adequately housed and suitably house. We are not suitably housed.”
He is most worried for his child’s welfare, and cited two letters from their school which indicate their tiredness in school and the effect it is having on their concentration and overall school performance.
The man also noted dark rings beneath his child’s eyes, indicating the poor quality of sleep, and said that his child has asked to stay in his grandparent’s house on multiple occasions to get a good night’s sleep.
“He doesn’t associate it (the apartment) as a safe space,” said the man. “He’s been crying that he’s too tired to go to school, it’s a nightmare.” Furthermore, two medical reports from the child’s GP and a doctor in the paediatrics department of Midland Regional Hospital detail the child’s poor health as a result of their living situation, which fully supports the father’s claims and advises that the family should be re-housed.
The reports also indicate that the child’s sleep is disrupted nightly and has had a negative impact on his mental health, making him more anxious and emotionally unsettled.
The man’s claims have also been supported by a local Athy councillor who the also contacted. The local rep visited his home and witnessed the noise before agreeing that they “would not live there” themselves.
Due to the family’s history of abuse and trauma, coupled with the noise which has been disrupting their sleep, the man believes being re-allocated another apartment is not suitable for them due to the unpredictability of surrounding tenants.
He believes that for the health of the family, they must be re-allocated a house, rather than an apartment, to ensure no noise will disrupt their sleep.
The man has indicated he want to be re-allocated a three-bed house to help his child have an extra bit of space.
He said he is a good tenant, and has put “every penny” he has into his apartment, and only wants to leave due to his unsustainable living situation.
Kildare County Council was contacted to answer questions in relation to transfer requests, the appeal process, and the significance of medical reports in decision of transfer applications.
The council responded with a PDF attachment of a document entitled 'Allocation Scheme for the Provision of Social Housing Support 2023', and included that it is satisfied that answers to the queries are contained within the document.
The document states that transfers may be considered for reasons such as overcrowding, older tenants wishing to move to a smaller or more suitable home, medical needs that require different accommodation, on grounds of anti-social behaviour, or where a household has council consent to transfer or to purchase a property under the Incremental Purchase Scheme.
When applying on medical grounds, tenants must complete a HMD-Form 1 or any successor form, and in some cases an occupational therapist’s report may also be needed.
To qualify for a transfer, tenants must have lived in their current home for at least two years and, if they are tenants of an Approved Housing Body, must provide a letter confirming the AHB cannot accommodate a transfer within its own properties.
Rent payments must be up to date, or a payment plan for arrears must be in place and followed. Tenants must also have kept their property in good condition, allow inspections, and comply with all terms of their tenancy agreement.
In emergencies, the council may choose to waive some or all of these usual requirements.
It also notes that if a tenant refuses two suitable offers of alternative accommodation, their transfer application will be closed and they will not be able to reapply for one year unless their circumstances change.
The Athy man believes that he is experiencing “discrimination”, and told the , that if he was a woman, his case would have been approved.
He described his situation as a man with sole custody of his child as being in the “minority” as compared to the woman majority.
“If you’re a man, you’re just told to take it on the chin,” he said.
