Cork groups unite to take the fight to the housing crisis ahead of major protest on June 21

Irish Independent

3 days ago

The Raise the Roof campaign includes a wide group of organisations including political parties, unions who represent older people, students, families and people with disabilities.
Representatives of those various organisations met outside Cork City Hall on Thursday evening to outline their plan.
Speaking at the event, Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said support for the protest is crucial because the housing crisis impacts everyone.
'There are generations of families living under the same roof.
'I know of a woman who is getting evicted on Monday, and another woman getting evicted tomorrow (Friday).
'People are crying out for houses, and we have hundreds of boarded up council houses throughout Cork city that families could be in right now.
'What we are trying to do here is come together and put pressure on the government,' Mr Gould said.
Protesters are asked to meet at the National Monument on Grand Parade.
Joe Kelly from the Cork Council of Trade Unions said it is important for all working people to come out on the day.
'There was a time that having a job would guarantee you a certain standard of living and enabled people to get on the housing ladder.
'Nowadays that is nearly impossible and that is unacceptable.
'It's going back 100 years ago when there were tenements and that can't carry on,' he said.
Labour TD Eoghan Kenny and Labour Councillor for Cork City South-West Ciara O'Connor represented their party on the day, and Mr Kenny said: 'Housing is the issue of our time and of our generation's politicians.'
'My email is inundated with people looking for either affordable housing, social housing or private housing to rent.
'The days of going to people asking every auctioneer on the street of towns to find reputable accommodation should be absolutely gone.
'I'm sick and tired of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael making false promises on housing and missing housing targets,' he said.
Ms O'Connor was co-opted to Cork City Council when newly elected Senator Laura Harmon gave up her seat and she said housing is the 'most prominent concern' of her constituents.
'I've had families that I know personally who have children with autism or severe needs in emergency accommodation for long periods of time.
'Emergency accommodation is not a good place for children to grow up,' Ms O'Connor added.
Maire Kelly from CATU echoed the importance that people come out and show their support.
'Whether you're a parent with kids living at home or you're renting in an absolute dive of a house, or even a mortgage holder, everyone is affected and it's so important that everyone comes out.
'If we don't collectivise and show this is an issue, we won't see any change at all,' she added.
Green Party Councillor for Cork City North East Oliver Moran described the housing crisis as a 'cross generation issue.'
'It is often said that people with mortgages are insulated from the housing crisis, but from that perspective you have a whole generation of people who are coming after them that do not have that opportunity.
'People's hearts are breaking looking at their children who don't have the same chance to get a house,' he said.
Solidarity – People Before Profit's Brian McCarthy echoed the statements made and added:
'The real message that we want to push is that at the moment we have a landlords' government that serves the interests of millionaires, billionaires, developers and vulture funds.
'The money is there, the land is there but the political will isn't,' he said.
Social Democrats Councillor for Cork South Central Niamh O'Connor said housing is something she gets contacted about most.
'We need people to get out on the street and make their voices heard because it is the number one issue in the country at the moment.
'Central government needs to give local authorities enough money to do up the derelict homes that we have.
'Even that would make so much of a difference,' she added.
Sinn Féin Councillor for Cork City North-West added by saying:
'Even just visually, the more people there the better because we need feet on the ground.
'We need the support because we are fighting for people in our own areas inside the City Hall and the Dáil, and the support is really important,' she concluded.