Changing the unwritten rules about homeless in Co Wicklow

Petition to change the unwritten rules about housing the homeless in Co. Wicklow

I have been homeless in Co. Wicklow since 07/07/2017, after I was illegally evicted. I didn’t do anything wrong and with 4days notice, I went from living in a house, into living in my car. During my time being homeless I have become familiar with some of the unwritten rules about being homeless in Co. Wicklow, and I think those rules are unfair, unjust and unnecessary.

Rule No.1: People who have pets don’t deserve to be housed.
I’m autistic, I am unable to create closely bonded friendships with people. I don’t have what you would call “a safety net”. I do have a need to be loved and needed, and my pets love me and need me. I don’t think it is right for people to tell me that I don’t deserve to be housed, because I refuse to get rid of my pets. They are not toys I could toss away like that.

Rule No.2: You have to be homeless for at least 8years before being eligible for Council Housing.
When I first got on the Wicklow County Council emergency housing list, back in 2017, I was told that it would be at least 10years, before my name came up to be housed. I tried to get an appointment to speak to Wicklow County Council housing officer last December, before there was any hint of this Covid-madness, but I was told that it was not possible. I contacted Wicklow County councillor Sylvester Bourke few months ago, and after doing some enquiries he came back with the information that there is no chance of me getting into Council Housing, because I haven’t been homeless long enough. 3 YEARS IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO BE HOMELESS. Last week I spoke with a Simon Community Social worker who told me that there is no hope for me getting housed in public housing, because in Co Wicklow YOU HAVE TO BE HOMELESS FOR AT LEAST 8 YEARS, before being considered for council housing.
I tried to find out how many homeless people there are in Co Wicklow:
According to this source: https://www.eastcoast.fm/news/wicklow-news/latest-homeless-figures-show-slight-drop-in-county-wicklow/
There were 24 homeless in Co Wicklow, living in emergency housing in December 2019.
According to this source: https://www.eastcoast.fm/news/wicklow-news/new-figures-show-rise-in-homeless-numbers-in-county-wicklow/
There were 20 homeless in Co Wicklow, living in emergency housing in November 2019.
Obviously these figures are nowhere near to the real number of homeless in Co Wicklow, because they are only counting the people in emergency housing, not the people sleeping rough, couch surfing, or living in less than adequate housing. I could not find information on the real number of homeless in Co Wicklow, but if there are less than 100 homeless in Co Wicklow, why do they have to be homeless for at least 8years, before being eligible for housing?

I have not been able to find any written records of these rules, probably because they would be too shameful and inhumane to put into writing, but they seem to be very solid and unbreakable unwritten rules, because I have heard them repeated often enough in past 3 years.

I believe that people who have pets do deserve to live in adequate housing, and being homeless for 1day should be long enough to be eligible for public housing.
If you support this cause, please sign and share this petition.