ELFAC, an international NGO representing large families, reports this mother’s case to the United Nations Committee on the Status of Women
By: ELFAC Intern
DG, a naturalised Irish citizen and mother of 7 children from ages 2 to 22, has been left homeless by the very social institution that was set up to protect her family.
DG and her husband moved to Ireland in 2005 in search of a better life, driven by deep community values, a shared Catholic heritage, and an enduring belief in Ireland as a nation that supports family and dignity. DG was able to find work within days, with her husband finding a job in construction. With their newly established life, they were able to raise seven children while contributing through work, education, and continuous volunteering – the perfect image of a healthy, productive, and loving Irish family.
Now, in 2025, DG’s family is being torn apart by a system that does not see them or support them.
After 17 years in their home, they were issued a Termination Notice to “overcrowding,” not caused by negligence, but by the very thing that should be celebrated: children. The landlord had deemed the housing to be too small for their large family.
The family tried to rent a house but no one wanted to rent to a family of seven children. DG tried to obtain a loan but no bank would risk giving a loan to a large family. However, they still were not able to access social housing because there are not enough houses that can accommodate nine people, and the waiting list can be between 10 to 15 years long.
They were told by social officers to leave the city and move into the countryside or somewhere else (SDCC). No private landlord wanted to accept seven children, no bank would lend to a large family, no social housing was available, and no support was offered.
On July 7th, 2025, DG and five of her children became officially homeless and were placed in an emergency shelter in a hotel while her 18 year old daughter was separated from the family, a traumatic experience for the entire family. DG’s family is staying in one overcrowded hotel room, with many other families sharing similar conditions.
DG’s current situation is an act of discrimination against families with many children, and has revealed the lack of support and protection for large families in Ireland, demonstrating a greater need of recognizing the needs and lived experiences of large families.
Despite Ireland being the country with the highest proportion of large families in the EU (20.6%), there is no dedicated large family association, no housing policies specific to their needs, and no safeguards to prevent what is currently happening to DG and her family.
The European Large Families Confederation (ELFAC) urgently calls on the Irish Government, South Dublin City Council, and the European Commission to:
- Immediately intervene to reunite and properly house DG’s family.
- Recognize large families as a distinct group requiring tailored housing policy.
- End discriminatory thresholds that penalise families for work or short-term income bumps.
- Develop national and local housing strategies that reflect demographic realities.
What is happening to DG’s family is an injustice. ELFAC, with consultative status in the Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) in the United Nations, has brought this case to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in order to bring this situation to light, to spread awareness about the inequities that women continue to face, and to call upon the Dublin City Council to find a solution.
“Housing is not a luxury, but a human right”, says Raul Sanchez, secretary general of ELFAC. “Social institutions need to ensure that all families, regardless of size and composition, are able to live in a home that meets their needs, and that their children are able to grow up in a warm, safe environment, knowing that they are protected and cared for”.