The receptionist who registered Health Minister Stephen Donnelly for his Covid vaccination two years ago is homeless and sleeping in her ten-year-old car.
And mum-of-two Lauren Masterson, 40, from Bray, has slammed the Minister, who is her local TD, for failing to respond to an email she sent to him last February seeking advice on how she could access help. Angry Laura said: "When Stephen Donnelly attended the Greystones vaccination centre I was working behind the front desk as a volunteer. I have a Bachelors degree in Nursing so I was anxious to do my bit to help."
"After the Minister was finished he told myself and all my colleagues we were heroes for helping out, yet now when I need his help he doesn't appear to want to know. I am 41 this week coming and that is how I will celebrate my birthday kipping down on the back seat of a car! I certainly don't feel heroic now."
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She added: "I have two kids to look after, Mikey, 14, and Alexa, 7, and they are now living with a relative. I contacted Wicklow County Council but they told me they couldn't help me as I was not on their housing list and when I applied to go on it, I was told I was over the income threshold. I am currently working as a paid intern in a psychiatric hospital but not earning enough to rent anywhere."
With nowhere else left to turn to Lauren emailed Stephen Donnelly three months ago explaining her situation and pleading for help and finishing by asking, "Please can someone advise me what kind of supports I can avail of," and has yet to get a reply.
She said: "I bought a type of air mattress on Amazon and I have been sleeping in the car on Bray seafront but more recently I found a street populated mostly by elderly people. I work a 14-hour shift from 7.30am to 9pm so most days I am gone before they wake up and back when they are asleep.
"In the middle of all this, I got my degree, how I managed that I haven't a clue as I did the final exams on autopilot."
"What is really frustrating is that every day I turn on the radio in the car I hear about the government building modular homes for refugees. I have no problem with that, but I feel like screaming out, 'What about me, do I not matter, do my kids not matter, it certainly seems that I don't matter to Stephen Donnelly."
"Two years ago I was one of his heroes now I am just someone to be ignored, I am just another statistic."
Minister Donnelly's department has been contacted for comment on this story.
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