“The pattern of inaction and broken promises has gone on long enough.”
A north Dublin based housing agency has called for the resignation of housing minister Eoghan Murphy.
The Dublin Central Housing Action (DCHA) is a group of residents, tenants and volunteers from Dublin 1, 3 and 7. They are a group that has operated for the past two years, working towards ensuring everyone has the right to a secure and stable home.
They have operated previously in the running of the Bolt Hostel and are part of the Irish Housing Network.
The DCHA first came to public prominence when they occupied 35 Summerhill Parade as a protest “against the continuing national housing crisis and the government’s complete inaction”.
The group came together on Thursday afternoon to rally outside unoccupied home 34 North Frederick Street with plans to then march to Leinster House to meet him.
Murphy Murphy Murphy
OUT
OUT
OUT pic.twitter.com/XBKgLZZ5rj— Dublin Central Housing Action (@D_C_H_A) August 23, 2018
This followed on from a separate group rally which saw the DCHA occupy Customs House for “several hours.”
“We wanted to meet Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy, but god bless him he was away on his holliers that week,” the group posted this following the Custom House occupation
“His people agreed that we could meet him on Thursday 23 August.”
According to the DCHA’s Twitter, Murphy’s team “failed to carry through on that promise”, leading to the group posting a letter online calling for the minister’s resignation.
“We were due to meet Minister Eoghan Murphy today,” the tweet reads.
“However, following last minute changes & broken promises on his side, we could not reasonably have been expected to attend. Instead, we marched on the Department of Housing and have requested his resignation.”
We were due to meet Minister Eoghan Murphy today. However, following last minute changes & broken promises on his side, we could not reasonably have been expected to attend.
Instead, we marched on the Department of Housing and have requested his resignation.
See letter below pic.twitter.com/cPP92sYmQe
— Dublin Central Housing Action (@D_C_H_A) August 23, 2018
“There is now no alternative course open to us but to call for your resignation,” the letter reads, written in red font.
“After 14 months in office, the housing crisis has only gotten worse and it is abundantly clear that you are unfit to hold office as Minister.”
Figures released earlier this year showed that a record number of people in Ireland were homeless in June. The same figures also revealed that child homelessness rose 35% at the end of Eoghan Murphy’s first full year as housing minister.
Public fury surrounding the issue of homelessness has grown stronger since the publication of an image which showed a homeless family seek shelter in a Garda station due to their failure to secure council housing.
This was then followed by the news that homeless families may face removal from emergency accommodation to facilitate tourists during the Papal visit.
It’s understood that the Government has spent upwards of €3 million on Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland, according to recently published tender documents.
€1.8 million is set to be spent on security personnel and equipment, while another €1.2m was is being used for CCTV and related communications equipment.
The Pontiff is due to arrive in Dublin in August for a two-day visit on 25 and 26 of August as part of the Catholic Church’s World Meeting of Families event.
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