Culture
06 Dec 22

Tathony House residents protest upcoming eviction at Dublin City Hall

Housing Crisis

“I’d like to ask the council and the Government what they think someone on 247.50 euro a week is supposed to do when they’re evicted in the new year.”

Dozens facing eviction gathered outside Dublin City Hall last night in protest against the June date, and their ability to find affordable accommodation.

As many as 100 tenants in the Tathony House apartment complex in Kilmainham were served with eviction notices at the end of October, in order to accommodate plans to sell the apartment bloc in June.

Due to the rising cost of living and soaring rents, those who were served face a future of uncertainty once evicted, with many fearing homelessness due to rent prices.

Despite their protest being brought before the Dáil last month, the People Before Profit-organised protest last night called upon Dublin City Council to work with an approved body in order to purchase the apartment complex.

The small group who gathered last night to chant “Dublin city council, stop mass evictions” also heard from speakers like TDs Brid Smith and Richard Boyd Barrett.

James O’Toole, tenant of Tathony House, and a community employment worker and member of People Before Profit, spoke of the gap between people’s wages and the cost of rent in Dublin.

“I’d like to ask the council and the Government what they think someone on 247.50 euro a week is supposed to do when they’re evicted in the new year,” he told the protest.

This case has also sparked further criticism of the government’s winter eviction ban, which stops people from having to vacate their homes before the ban is due to end in April. Although eviction notices can be issued, residents do not actually have to leave under the rules that came into effect in November.

With October being the fourth month in a row to show rising homelessness figures - the highest on record, with 11,397 people, including 3,480 children recorded as living in emergency accommodation - the government is under mounting pressure to what has certainly surpassed a crisis point.

Tenants of Tathony House, facing mass eviction, protested outside tonight's meeting of Dublin City Council.

Tenants including @JamesRedNetwork & @cllrjohansson were supported by @bridsmithTD & @RBoydBarrett

No mass evictions! pic.twitter.com/Lk2l7fKASk

— Rebel Telly (@RebelTVIreland) December 5, 2022