'We need heat': plea from young mum waiting on gas

A young Kells mother whose home at Blackthorn Grove in Kells has been without adequate heat for the past two years says she cannot cope with the situation much longer. Tara Lynch said she has had to rely on plug-in heaters to keep herself and her two year-old son, Nathan, warm. During the Arctic weather of Christmas 2010, her pipes froze and she had to move out and stay with her mother because of the icy conditions in her home. She said she has been told by the North and East Housing Association (NEHA), from whom she rents the house, that piped gas will be installed, but has heard nothing recently and fears there could be further delays. However, a spokesperson for the NEHA said that gas central heating would be supplied to the houses in Blackthorn Grove over the coming months. Tara said that when she moved into the house two years ago, there was Calor Gas central heating, but because of an outstanding bill from a previous tenant, they were unwilling to connect her up and, two years later, she still doesn't have central heating. "We have been told that the housing association is considering switching to Bord Gais and they held meetings with people in the estate, but nothing has happened," she said. "I even offered to put in a solid fuel stove myself, and was told not to. My electricity bill is crazy from the electric heaters, but they don't keep us warm." She said she had threatened not to pay her rent until the heating situaiton was sorted out, but was told she would be evicted if she did that and has continued to pay her rent. "It is very difficult to have a small child in a house that is so cold. We really need to have this sorted out," she said. Ken Lynam, spokesperson for the NEHA, said they have got Bord Gais to bring gas into the estate and the houses would have piped gas heating within the next few months. He said they were currently seeking tenders to have boilers installed in all the houses.