A coalition of groups and political parties has joined forces to launch a protest campaign against the housing crisis.
The Raise the Roof for Housing campaign sees groups including the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, The Union of Students in Ireland, Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, the National Women's Council, Inner City Helping Homeless and the Peter McVerry Trust come together to demand radical new action on the housing crisis.
The campaign group is organising a rally outside Leinster House at lunchtime on October 3rd, ahead of the budget.
A coalition of groups including @PMVTrust @TheUSI and @irishcongress have joined forces for a campaign against the housing crisis #RaiseTheRoof pic.twitter.com/dV834SQQEo
— Kim Buckley (@KiiimBuckley) September 6, 2018
Homeless campaigner Father Peter McVerry says removing the housing Minister won't solve the crisis: 'Eoghan Murphy is only the mouthpiece for the government and I think it's government policy that we have to change. I think we have to continue telling the government that as far as anyone can see that their policies aren't working. Really it's a question for me of when will the emperor come to realise that the emperor doesn't have any clothes.'
Michelle Byrne from the USI says students are sick of being taken advantage of.
Students make up a large portion of the so-called 'hidden homeless' population, with many sleeping on friends' couches or commuting long distances.
Byrne says ' Students Unions have told us about people presenting already that they can't find accommodation, that they can't afford accommodation. People are going to be sleeping on couches, they don't see themselves as homeless because they're not technically on the street, but they are homeless. We haven't seen any increases in support, we've seen the second highest fees in Europe and now this accommodation crisis.
Fórsa is delighted to support the #RaiseTheRoof campaign. Launching today, this collaboration between trade unions, political parties, students' unions, NGOs, community & campaign groups calls for real action on the #HousingCrisis. Support the major rally on 3 Oct @irishcongress pic.twitter.com/QpZ9wN934J
— Fórsa Trade Union (@forsa_union_ie) September 6, 2018
