A group of mothers living in an apartment block in Dublin city fear that mould is causing their children's breathing difficulties.
One mother admitted that her son often struggles to breathe, even going purple- something she fears may be due to the mould on one of the walls of their Castle Court apartment.
Dublin Live previously reported that residents feared that their children may pick up a needle or a rat on the property with one mam afraid that her flight risk son might get knocked down by traffic while fleeing the flats.
Read more: Dublin mam at 'wit's end' with home under siege by giant rats and drug dealing in front of kids
Jade told Dublin Live that she is currently extremely worried about her son Alfie's health.
She said: "He stopped breathing two weeks ago. When I bring him to hospital they ask me if there is damp in the house. I can't open a window because of the rats outside. When he stops breathing, he goes purple.
"He has stopped breathing numerous times this year. I have suffered with tonsillitis. There is paper on the ceiling from a leak from last year. They came and put paper on it."
Joanne: "You can't just renovate a building that's over 100 years old. It needs to be done from scratch. When we moved in here- the place was absolutely freezing. We were stung with lung infections, chest injections. My son is only just over tonsillitis and conjunctivitis.
"The condensation was dripping on the windows and it was causing mould. We were breathing all that in. I've only started suffering with my chest three years ago. I'm here three years.
"I feel like I'm going crazy. My kids are getting sick. My four-year-old and eight-year-old keep getting sick because I'm drying the washing inside. I have no where else to dry the washing. There is always a constant smell of sewerage.
"He suffers with his chest an awful lot. He's constantly on antibiotics. He doesn't look healthy. He's pale all the time.
"I suffer with severe psoriasis which is flared by stress. I've been on medication for a few months. If I don't take it- I'm covered head to toe. I had it before I moved in here but it has only gotten worse.
"I have also had severe pains in my chest from the day I've moved in here.
Read more: Dublin mam's horror as autistic non-verbal child runs towards traffic from nightmare flat
"My wardrobe had to be taken out. There was black mould behind it. You can get a smell. I do my best to keep the place clean but no matter what- I'm failing."
Danielle feels her family's health has also been affected and is at the end of her tether.
She said: "I’m living here with two teenagers. They're squashed into a tiny room with no where to even store anything in the bedrooms. My health has been affected by this accommodation and my daughter's health and her educational needs have been affected. It’s a very stressful situation and it’s having a significant impact on my health. I cannot live in this building any longer with my children."
Tanya's son was hospitalised the weekend before last with breathing difficulties. Ryan is non-verbal and a flight risk, and has already climbed onto the roof of their flat before.
She said: "He's severely asthmatic as well. I've no air vents in the apartment. He's constantly spluttering and choking.
"He's been hospitalised many times. He was in A&E Saturday and Sunday with severe chest problems. When I visit my mother, he doesn't have the same difficulties breathing."
Dublin Live have contacted the Peter McVerry Trust for comment.
Read more: Dublin residents fear child will pick up needle while playing in 'nightmare' rat-infested complex
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