Above: The “make it up as we go along” approach to tenants rights that a certain subsect of the slumlord species adheres to. Landlords are hiking up rents and leaving basic maintenance neglected, contributing to the return of turn-of-the-century tenement-style slums in Dublin. The return of slum accommodation has brought a return to the landlord tactics of old – illegal rack renting, overcrowding, and of course evictions. Sheila Meskill was … Read More
Leo, Actually.
Above: This one ended up on our front page. An illustration by Mice that eviscerates our glorious leader. Her best yet? The Blueshirts anointed a new party leader recently and that man is a master of the spin game. Sam Noonan slips on a pair of waders and takes a poke around the slurry pit of our new Taoiseach’s career so far. You’ve heard about the government’s new Strategic Communications unit … Read More
Let There Be Houses.
Back in late October the Campaign For Public Housing burst onto the scene promising a water charges style agitation for that most basic of human needs. Harry Sal Lacey caught up with Eugene Mcartan to see if they tick any differently to the rest of the housing movement. What do you mean by public housing? Is this social housing or affordable housing or both? The difference between social or affordable … Read More
Failing Tenants.
Above: Some graphics from the Daft Quarterly report. Strong words from the Dublin Tenants’ Association this morning. They just put out a response to Daft’s latest quarterly report. They’ve highlighted non-compliance among landlords with legislation around minimum standards and the total disregard to the Rent Pressure Zone legislation. In a press release, spokesperson Fionn Toland said: “The government has left it up to tenants to regulate rents. It’s … Read More
It’s Not Reit.
Above: The online brochure for the Maple development from the Ires Reit website. Ires Reit are the big bad boys of Irish property development at the moment. They’ve been hoovering up NAMA properties and bringing them to market as either luxury apartments or mad over priced student gaffs. Today Dublin Tenants Association are bringing a protest right to their door in an attempt to upset the PR around the launch of … Read More
The Siege of Bóthar Anam.
Marcus Maher is a writer and director currently crowdfunding for a short film project that links the current housing crisis to his experiences squatting in Liverpool in the 1990s. Rashers Tierney finds out more. The film is partially inspired by events in Liverpool in the mid-1990s. Can you fill us in on this? The city It sounds like you were right in the heart of some interesting scenes? Were you … Read More
Community Organising Grant.
Above: Demonstration at Apollo House last January. Photo by Thom McDermott. In our last issue, we looked at the Home Sweet Home coalition’s occupation of Apollo House and the work of the volunteers that made the occupation possible. Today, on the day that former Minister of Housing Simon Coveney promised to end the practice of Emergency Accomodation, the coalition have announced a community grant scheme. The scheme is to be … Read More
The Adventures Of Simple Simon.
With a national homeless demonstration taking place this Saturday, one of our readers sent in this take on Coveney’s years at the helm of housing policy. The protest takes off 1pm tomorrow from the Custom House. Make it big.
Reflections On Apollo.
As the Apollo Story progressed, most of the press attention focused on the artists, and a very small number of organisers. However, the real story of Apollo House is and always was the volunteers, over 700 of whom gave up their time to make it what it was. A stark reminder that the current housing system is broken beyond repair, and that a better world is possible. Tommy Gavin … Read More
Under Apollo.
Apollo House captured the imagination of hundreds of thousands of people across the country in a month long occupation beginning before Christmas. Activists, artists and trade unionists occupied a NAMA building in Dublin city centre in a direct confrontation with the government. Beggars takes a look at the housing network that held it all together. The Apollo House occupation organised thousands of volunteers, many of whom had no previous experience … Read More