Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

This Saturday, at 1 o'clock in Parnell Square, tens of thousands of people will gather to march under the Raise the Roof banner to demand action on the housing emergency. The Government consistently refuses to call what we are living through a housing emergency. Ten years of failure by consecutive Governments on this issue have created the alienation and despair we are now witnessing breaking out and filling a vacuum left in this country. These ten years have created bitter fruits that have allowed fascists and the far right to exploit the refugee crisis. We have a housing crisis, not a refugee crisis, and this Government and previous Governments are responsible for it. Will the Government take responsibility for this crisis, declare an emergency and use all of the emergency powers available to deal with what is an absolute atrocity being committed on the people of this country and those seeking refuge with us as well?

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