Famous Guests Expected for Creative Protest at Dail

The event is being organised by the MyNameIs campaign & Inner City Helping Homeless.
Members of the public are being called upon to take part in the unique event, the likes of which has not been seen or heard of before.
Well known names such as Glen Hansard, Frances Black, Emmet Kirwan and Peter McVerry are anticipated to perform at the event.

_image2_

The organisers of the event are Anthony Flynn, Erica Flemming and Dr Rory Hearne.
In a press release, Hearne relayed a message to the public,
"come along and be part of the growing movement that says the homelessness crisis is NOT normal or acceptable by Irish society. We are saying enough - no more - the Irish people are now telling the government - you have to solve this crisis - and NOW!
The academic and MyNameIs activist wants to make people aware of the crisis point that the situation has reached,
"There is a 450% increase in just over two and a half years. To break it down, one in 3 people in homeless emergency accommodation is a child, the future of our country. This can't be allowed to continue".
He spoke of the unaffordable rents, the fear and threat of eviction, overcrowding and substandard housing facing all Irish citizens in 2017.
"The housing crisis threatens the economy. It now affects us all".

_image3_

Hearne believes that the government is trying to downplay and normalise the situation. That they know the solutions but lack the "political will to implement them".
"There are 13 empty houses for every homeless person in the country. They should immediately provide high quality safe emergency accommodation for the homeless, declare a housing emergency, and fund the building of social and affordable housing on a major scale and give private tenants long term security of tenure".

_image4_

Fellow organiser and former homeless parent Erica Fleming, points out in the same press release that the number of children living in hotels/B&Bs/Hubs is not normal and indicates the extent of the issue.
Clare O Connor of Inner City Helping Homeless and MyNameis also explains how "there has been 7 deaths in the homeless community in the last 12 weeks and Ireland has the fastest growth rates in homelessness in Europe."