Tag Archives: Dáil protest

The Housing Action Group is calling on Minister Jan O’Sullivan to suspend the Housing Bill until “confusion and unwanted stress” surrounding the Housing Assistance Payment ( HAP) scheme is removed. The group is to stage another protest outside the Dáil at 5.30pm this Tuesday when the Bill resumes for debate and final voting. Gwen Connell, spokesperson for the group, said the provisions in the Bill were “well hidden” from the public until highlighted by the group only last Tuesday. Since then, the HAG had been inundated by people currently on council waiting lists worried about losing their place on the list. “The reckless nature of this Bill now brings fear of homelessness to families who were not directly affected in the past. It leaves families at the mercy of landlords whether on rent allowance, RAS or private renting. “This does not fix the problem of ‘rent allowance not accepted’ as the HAP will be the new rent supplement. What happens when …

Trade unions, political parties, community groups and campaigns will participate in a housing action protest on this Tuesday at the Dáil. The protest will take place at 6PM and is endorsed by Mandate Trade Union, People Before Profit, the Anti-Austerity Alliance and Housing Action Now. It will target in particular the Government’s proposed Housing Assistance Payment Scheme. “Under the legislation those in receipt of the new Housing Assistance Payment will be removed from the social housing waiting list. There has been a 92% drop in social housing construction since 2007 and Housing Minister Jan O’Sullivan intends to build just 700 new homes for the 90,000 families on the waiting list. This legislation is being introduced to cut the waiting list by another means. Fine Gael and Labour are shirking their responsibility to provide adequate levels of social housing and instead choosing to prop up private landlords,” said spokesperson, Councillor  Karl Gill, People Before Profit – Dun Laoghaire “There are further concerns that …