Housing rally to raise the roof 

A NORTHSIDE TD has vowed to support a new campaign demanding radical action on the homeless crisis. 

Irish Congress of Trade Unions President Sheila Nunan, Fr Peter McVerry of the Peter McVerry Trust, Orla O’Connor of the National Women’s Council, Michelle Byrne of USI and Aisling Bruen of the National Homeless & Housing Coalition were among those who launched the ‘Raise the Roof Rally for Housing’.  

The initiative sees trade unions, political parties, students’ unions, housing agencies and community and campaign groups join forces to demand radical new action on the housing crisis, including support for a rally which will take place outside Leinster House on Wednesday, October 3 in advance of the budget.

Dublin Bay North TD Tommy Broughan (Ind) said he is delighted to be supporting the campaign. 

He said the well-attended launch demonstrated the great interest in addressing the escalating housing crisis which has a “devastating human cost”.

“The Raise The Roof rally will be taking place on October 3 as on that date, the Dáil will be debating a cross party motion, which I signed, on housing,” said Deputy Broughan.   

“The housing crisis has now permeated all aspects of life in Ireland from limiting students from attending third level, pushing generations of families into severe overcrowding accommodation situations, forcing families with children to sleep in cars and people to sleep in tents and with 60 percent of homeless families headed by a lone parent, usually a mother, it is a gendered issue.  

“Ireland has double the rate of homeless females than other European countries and with 43,000 mortgages in arrears of more than two years.

“Fr Peter McVerry predicts that the crisis will continue to worsen unless something is done, unless real action is taken, unless evictions are prevented and the continuous flow into homelessness and hidden homelessness is stopped.   

“Many of us have been calling on the Government to declare a Housing Emergency for many years now.”

Deputy Broughan said he is delighted to see so many strong and important civil society groups and grassroots organisations coming together under the ‘Raise The Roof’ umbrella to raise awareness, to demand action and to create change.

“I will continue to work on this matter consistently when the Dáil resumes and am calling on everyone who cares about housing in Ireland to come to the Dáil on October 3 and to contact your local Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael TDs to support the cross-party motion,” he added.