Fórsa is calling on members to join the ‘Raise the Roof’ protests in Dublin and Cork this month to demand urgent government action on the deepening housing crisis. 

The demonstration in Dublin will take place at 6pm Tuesday 17th June, outside the Kildare Street gate of Leinster House, while the demonstration in Cork city will take place on Saturday 21st June, beginning at 2pm at the National Monument on Grand Parade. 

Fórsa will participate in both demos as a member of ‘Raise the Roof’ and is actively involved in organising the event. 

The ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign consists of a broad coalition of trade unions, civil society groups, and political parties who are demanding the government stop acting as a bystander and take concerted and effective action to address the deepening housing crisis. 

The government has repeatedly failed to meet its own construction targets, with the Housing Commission now estimating a shortfall of 250,000 homes and predicting the government will continue to miss construction targets by tens of thousands. 

The failure to meet construction targets is leading to spiralling costs of rent and property prices. Rents now average at €2,000 across the country, and property prices have risen to almost 20% more than at the height of the Celtic Tiger. 

Fórsa head of campaigns Kevin Donoghue said, “Members have repeatedly identified housing as a key concern for them. The recent local government conference saw half a dozen housing motions being brought to the floor. Lack of affordable housing is having a serious impact on people’s lives and careers.” 

He continued, “Not being able to find somewhere to live can be a barrier to taking on a new job or accepting a promotion in a different location. 

“Our members keep the State working. We need the government to take this crisis seriously we need a radical shift in policy, one that is focused on the provision of affordable housing for all.” he concluded. 

The ‘Raise the Roof’ campaign has set out a clear set of policy demands which include: 

• An expanded programme of public housing on public land, led by local authorities and housing bodies to deliver affordable housing. 
• Ensure that at least 20% of all housing is public housing, In line with Housing Commission report. 
• Move to a genuinely affordable not-for-profit cost rental model. 
• Full restoration and expansion of the tenant-in-situ scheme. 
• Urgent action to tackle the tens of thousands of vacant and derelict properties. 
• An immediate restoration of the ban on no fault evictions and a freeze on all rent increases. 
• And most of all, we need a clear commitment that workers will be able to live in the communities they serve. 

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