Thousands of people attended a housing crisis protest in Dublin city centre today.
The Raise The Roof protest took place in the city centre this afternoon to highlight the lack of affordable housing available across the country.
The march to Leinster House kicked off at lunchtime and saw thousands of housing activists, students, and members of trade unions and homeless charities march through the streets calling for housing for all.
Protesters walked from the Garden of Remembrance and across O’Connell Bridge, eventually arriving at government buildings where a rally took place.
Speakers included homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry and members of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI).
Absolutely incredible numbers of students here at #raisetheroof with @TheUSI
Students are going all the way down Molesworth Street, snaking around the corner and down on to Nassau Street. Let the idea that Students don’t care about #HomesforAll be put to rest pic.twitter.com/l67MNSS96H
— Annie Hoey (@hoeyannie) October 3, 2018
NB this is middle of the day, middle of the week. Big turnout and broad solidarity #RaiseTheRoof pic.twitter.com/IVrMilxUJJ
— Maedhbh Nic Lochlainn (@MaedhbhLikeDave) October 3, 2018
Ahead of today’s protest, McVerry called the government’ housing policy a “failure.”
Speaking on Newstalk this morning, he said:
“It is not just about homelessness. This is about people from all walks of life whose living situation is precarious or which places them under huge financial strain.
“There are many, many people who will never, ever be able to get a mortgage and buy their own home – condemned to live in the private rented sector for the rest of their lives with the insecurity of rent and the insecurity of tenure that goes along with that.”
Big applause when Peter McVerry tells crowd at rally that the housing crisis can’t be solved by private sector – vote homlessness out #RaisetheRoof #SocDems pic.twitter.com/alIwAaUe0J
— Social Democrats (@SocDems) October 3, 2018
The Raise The Roof protest comes ahead of a private members motion put forward to the Dáil by People Before Profit.
The motion is calling for “immediate action” regarding Ireland’s housing and homelessness crisis.
We’re at #RaisetheRoof rally outside Leinster House. It’s heartening to see people gathering in their numbers to demand for change. We need action now to ensure #HomesforAll pic.twitter.com/Ay6qZPQsM0
— Womenscouncilireland (@NWCI) October 3, 2018
Thousands of students unable to make it onto Molesworth Street for what must be biggest lunchtime protest in years. #RaiseTheRoof #HomesForAll #dubw pic.twitter.com/srbN5H3A0f
— Ruth Coppinger (@RuthCoppingerSP) October 3, 2018
https://twitter.com/jadeswilson/status/1047462542174564354
Massive #RaiseTheRoof rally at the Dail with thousands of workers & students…this is a game changer. Government must change direction & policy & ensure affordable secure #homesforall pic.twitter.com/NwdUqVdKTy
— Rory Hearne (@RoryHearneGaffs) October 3, 2018
Feature image via USI.
