A Dublin mum has pleaded for South Dublin County Council to transfer her to new accommodation due to "dampness and mould" in her apartment.
Lisa Gibbons has lived in the two-bedroom apartment in Slade Castle in Saggart with her partner and their three children since 2015. Lisa said she "loved" the apartment when she moved in but issues with mould and dampness have gotten significantly worse since then.
She fears the dampness is causing long-term health issues for her 11-month-old son, who is "constantly in the doctors" due to breathing issues.
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"When he's lying in his cot at night time I can hear his lungs going," she told Dublin Live. He ended up in hospital recently with a bronchitis infection.
"His doctor has sent in numerous letters to the Council saying the damp and mould aren't safe for him."
Lisa also described issues that the family are facing with silverfish in the apartment. "The silverfish are a nightmare," she said.
"I wake up in the morning and my kitchen sink is covered in them, the baths are covered in them. They were in the baby's cot and everything.
"They've always been here. The infestation of silverfish seems to be getting worse.
"There was an inspector out here who said they aren't harmful, but who would want to be dealing with them in their home?"
Lisa explained she was "very grateful" and "loved the apartment" when she moved in seven years ago. "When I moved in, I genuinely loved it," she said.
"As you can see, we've done it up and put every penny we have into it. But I'm at my wits end now with worry about my son's health."
Denise Skerritt is another South Dublin County Council tenant living in Slade Castle. She told Dublin Live that she is dealing with serious issues with black mould in her en suite bathroom and around her sitting room and bedroom windows and doors.
"The black mould on the bathroom ceiling was treated in December 2022, November 2021 and August 2020, so it's evident that there is a bigger issue that the replacement extractor fans will not address," she said.
"I'm constantly sanding and bleaching the walls. It feels like no matter how much you try to keep your home clean, it's futile because the problem keeps coming back.
"It's nothing that we're doing wrong. The property is well ventilated but if I need to use the shower in the en suite, I have to keep the door open and then open my bedroom window when I'm finished.
"When we're getting into minus temperatures, that is far from ideal."
An environmental health officer visited Denise's property last October and noted the mould in her en suite and around external doors and windows. It also noted that a gutter above the property was leaking onto her garden and needed to be repaired.
A spokesperson for South Dublin County Council told Dublin Live that they do not comment on individual cases.
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