Protestors demanded that the government bring back the eviction ban in a large demonstration earlier this afternoon.
The Cost of Living Coalition, founded by Eddie Conlon, organised today's demonstration as concerns over the housing crisis spike. The latest homelessness figures, released on Friday, revealed that over 8,000 people were relying on emergency accommodation in Dublin alone.
Tenant James O'Toole was among the crowds today calling for government officials to reverse their decision on the eviction ban, which was officially lifted today. He risks being evicted from his long term residence in Tathony House now the ban has been lifted and called on people in similar predicaments to fight against the decision.
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James told Dublin Live: "The government are fully committed to representing the views of landlords when they only make up around 3 per cent of the population- what about the remaining 97 per cent? People need to start putting political pressure on the establishment."
Richard Boyd Barrett was also present at today's rally outside the Dail. He described the lifting of the eviction ban as "shameful" and also claimed that the government was prioritising landlords over people's welfare.
Sinn Fein's Louise O'Reilly said that the protests allowed people to vent their anger at a precarious time. She said that further supports could have been introduced to protest those most at risk of homelessness following the decision.
She said: "The government need to realise that they have made this situation worse. They have taken the only safety net that people have and have not put measures in place to help those receiving eviction notices over the next couple of weeks."
Deferred tenancy terminations will now take place on a phased basis until June 18. Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien previously stated that targeted measures, such as an increase in social housing units, would be introduced to mitigate upheaval caused by the lifting of the ban.
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