It's imperative in a democratic country that police are transparent with and accountable to the people. Gardaí wearing masks and supporting private security action against activists is totally unacceptable. Landlords should not be able to use the Gardaí to enforce their will on the Irish people.

Incineration is TOXIC. Do not believe the authorities and Politicians.

**WE NEED SUPPORT TO SAVE OUR HOME** This is our story: With rents soaring to an all time high and mortgages becoming harder to obtain, we needed a plan. Like most people our age, renting in the private sector whilst also trying to save became impossible. That's when the idea of temporarily living in a cabin (to the rear of a privately owned home) to continue to save up for our own home, became appealing. If fortunate enough to be in a position to do this, that's great. The council will not have a problem with it nor will they approach you. Planners acknowledge the proliferation of log cabins across the city. If no objections are made they can turn a blind eye. However, if there is an objection.. Then it becomes a "planning issue". Which brings us to our current situation, in short.. DCC enforcement have ordered the cabin to be removed on the basis of one complaint, from one neighbour. There's not much need to go into details but everyone who is familiar with the situation has seen first hand how this particular neighbour has treated myself and my family throughout this ordeal and I can only hope that they hang their head in shame at their disgusting behaviour. We're calling on the council to relax the laws and clarify the grey area regarding permission for these sorts of temporary structures at the upcoming meeting on 25th september. I'm not suggesting allowing these structures is going to fix the housing crisis. There are record numbers nearing 20,000 on Dublin City councils housing list. 1,338 families with 2,886 children are living in homeless accommodation in the Dublin area. Building houses is the only real solution but Ireland does not have a public housing system to meet the needs of society and the countries housing crisis is most likely down to housing being treated as a commodity rather than a human right. It's simply not acceptable. The right to housing is recognised by the United Nations (article 25 in the universal declaration of human rights) and the UN have been active in highlighting homelessness as a VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. Being deprived of a home gives rise to a social identity through which "the homeless" is constituted as a social group subject to discrimination and stigmatisation. This housing crisis affects people in so many different ways, and it's going to continue to affect us and have a knock on affect for years to come. Most frightening, its damaging the children, the youth of this country and in turn the future of this country. If by allowing these structures temporarily will help even a few families avoid being part of these statistics.. It's worth it right? Because every family matters. Just one of the many "immediate obligation of states" from the UN is to eliminate the practice of forced eviction, especially when it would lead to homelessness. I believe that having a place to call home is the most fundamental of human rights. For me personally a "home" is somewhere safe and secure where my two boys can feel comfortable and be themselves. This is exactly what we have provided for them as our response to this housing crisis and we won't let it be taken away from them without a fight. Please help us raise awareness on this and show your support by signing our petition..thank you!

Jobseekers who are aged 18-24 years and are not in education or employment receive a reduced allowance of €107.70 per week and €152.80 for those aged 25, compared to €198 for all adults over 26. Young jobseekers under 26 living independently in Ireland cannot afford a rent contribution along with the cost of bills and food. We believe that this age-discrimination is pushing vulnerable young adults who are at risk further into consistent poverty, and hampering them from finding employment and exiting poverty and often times homelessness. Crosscare work with young adult Jobseekers under 26 who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. There are three main groups of young adult Jobseekers who are particularly at risk: • Those who are experiencing homelessness and residing in homeless services • Those leaving State Care who are excluded from the TUSLA Aftercare Allowance • Those who have received International Protection in Ireland and must move to independent living We are asking Minister Doherty to restore the full rate of Jobseekers Allowance for all young adults from 18-26 years - in particular for these 3 groups. We have worked with these young people to produce two short videos to illustrate how the current allowance has impacted their lives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUkj0Q9rJk8&feature=youtu.be Joe's Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bexfQKulthk Najma's Story Please sign our petition to ask the Irish Government to #RestoretheYouthSafetyNet and give these Young People at risk the support that they need.

People who are homeless deserve better. If families who have been made homeless are forced out of their emergency accommodation in hotels during the Pope's visit - then many of them will end up in Garda Stations, with nowhere to go.

The Housing Crisis is a countrywide problem that has reached epidemic proportions. In January 2018, over 9,500 individuals were struggling to survive in State-funded emergency accommodation, 184 individuals were sleeping rough in the winter of 2017 in Dublin and almost 100,000 people are on social housing lists. An ongoing issue, successive governments have failed to act. There are a number of issues underlying this problem, which affects vulnerable groups in various ways, including Travellers, asylum seekers, refugees and survivors of domestic abuse . A system-level change is required. To begin with, rent and property taxes must accord with the Housing Assistance Payment Scheme (HAP) and local authorities need to spend the funding allocated to investment in culturally appropriate housing for Travellers. People Before Profit outline a number of remedies, such as delimiting the right to private property and investing the capital from employment creation in social housing. Please sign this petition calling on The Housing Minister, Eoghan Murphy TD, to implement such practical and sustainable solutions to address this problem.

The Housing Crisis is a countrywide problem that has reached epidemic proportions. The Housing Minister needs to implement practical and sustainable solutions to address this problem.

The housing crisis is now worse than at any point in the state’s history - 10,000 Homeless (1,739 Homeless Families – 3, 755 Homeless Children) - Average Rents Across Dublin = €1,614 - Government subsidies to landlords in 2017 = over €623k - 600,000 young people stuck at home, unable to access housing according to last census It was recently reported that there is enough state owned land (local authority and NAMA) zoned for residential development to build over 110,000 units https://www.irishtimes.com/…/state-owns-enough-zoned-land-t… Yet what has Dublin City Council's approach been to the development of the land it owns? In the case of the Lawrence Lands (Oscar Traynor Rd) they plan to mostly privatised the site with developers being invited to construct all 600 plus units but keep 70% for themselves (50% purely for profit and 20% for an undefined ‘affordable’ rent) with just the remaining 30% for public housing. At this rate we will never house those on the housing list as well as the hundreds of thousands who cannot even apply for public housing let alone the additional demand the arises year on year. Rather than waiting for similar bad proposals for other council owned sites the initiative should be taken by housing campaigners and public representatives to propose how best public land can be used to help resolve the crisis. Solidarity's alternative proposal for Belcamp Lane/Northern Cross Local Solidarity Councillor Michael O'Brien is proposing an alternative approach across the state where public housing (social and affordable) is built on publicly owned land. Take the Belcamp Lane site at Northern Cross which is council owned but where there are no plans on the horizon to build housing. Solidarity proposes that some 500 apartments and duplexes, similar in design to Newtown Court could be built and made available for 50% social and 50% affordable housing to local people with a housing need. This would be financed through the Social Housing Investment Fund. Accommodation meeting the needs of the local Traveller community could also be delivered on this site. Cllr O'Brien engaged the voluntary services of an architect to come up with an indicated site plan which shows what could be done. In this plan there are - the are 119 units on each floor (i.e. 4 floors = 476 units, allowing for duplexes). - the 3 beds are 100m2, the 2 beds are 81m2, the studios are 45.5m2 (a duplex would be two studios one on top of the other). - all units (except at the north of the site) are accessed from the north and have southeast or southwest facing balconies, and share south facing gardens (the public open space is mostly divided up between the units in this way). - there are pedestrian routes connecting the blocks, so that some of the ground floor plans will be different to allow for this This is not a fixed proposal set in stone but a vision of what can be done. If community support can be built up for this proposal, taking on board further suggestions and amendments this plan will be brought to Dublin City Council's North Central Area Committee and Housing Special Policy Committee with a view to securing the support from other councillors and putting the ball in the court of the Council officials to seriously engage. Check out https://www.facebook.com/PublicHousingBelcampNorthernX/ for the progress of the campaign

After an 11-year delay, the Government recently took the final steps towards ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. However, it turns out that the government has for now abandoned its pledge to at the same time ratify a key protocol that goes along with the Convention. The protocol gives people with disabilities a real chance to achieve their rights in cases where the government is failing them. The protocol allows groups or individuals to make complaints to the UN to ensure the government does what it says it will do. This government has effectively turned its back on 640,000 people with disabilities in this State by failing to ratify this protocol.

This new cost rental housing model would be a self-financing approach to housing, involving State provision of housing which would be made available for rent to a mixture of households on medium or high incomes as well as those on the social housing waiting list. It’s a model that caters for all. The current system is not working, the housing crisis is crippling the lives of individuals, families and communities. In 2017 local authority data show that 100,000 people are on waiting lists for social housing in Ireland. Already successfully rolled out in Denmark and Switzerland, this housing model is guaranteed and permanent. It provides security of tenure and will put an end to people living hostage to rapidly increasing private rental rates, to unsustainable mortgages, and to the risk of debt, eviction and homelessness. Public land should be used for public good, not for profit. Almost 6.1 billion of public money has been paid out in rent supplement to private landlords in the last 17 years, alternatively that could have built well over 30,000 homes.

This is important because money could be better spent in redevelopment in other areas of the city. The park is one of the few left in the city that has been left untouched for years. The park provides many community events throughout the year and brings people together for all types of occasions. This site was privately sold but still comes under the umbrella of the park so if this development goes ahead it opens the flood gates for endless destruction to the park through building. Where does it end?

An Taoiseach is our representative abroad. When he accepts prejudice, racism and bigotry, it shames the people of our country. We feel that such an alliance is not good for our country's reputation and undermines our relationship with other countries. Trump is a despicable human being. A point must be reached where falling at the foot of a powerful man, at the expense of our values and morals and international reputation is not acceptable! "'Shame'rock for Trump: Not in our Name"