Women sit-in to protest over housing

Two women are conducting a sit-in at a town council offices over claims that the local authority has not done enough to get them and their children proper housing, even though it has a number of vacant properties on its books.

The woman have been joined on the sit-in at Bray Town Council offices by Sinn Féin Wicklow county councillor John Brady.

“The situation these women and their children find themselves in is completely unacceptable when there are so many vacant properties lying boarded up around town,” said Mr Brady.

He said both women were locals. One had been on the housing list for nine years and the other for seven. “They were in rented accommodation until recently, when their landlords needed the houses back,” Mr Brady said. “Both women liaised with the town council to try and find alternative accommodation. They, along with their children, were placed into a hostel in Rathdrum.”

The view from the Bray Town Council offices tonight.Great support from the public too pic.twitter.com/oOMSxZ4ENM

— John Brady TD (@johnbradysf) May 31, 2013

He said the women’s children attend school in St Fergal’s in Bray and getting from Rathdrum to there requires a 5am start on a daily basis.

Speaking from inside Bray Town Council offices last night, Mr Brady claimed that a council official has came in, locked the building, and told them they are planning to place security on the building and lock it for the weekend.

“They have told us that we will not be able to leave the building until next Tuesday after the Bank Holiday weekend,” said Mr Brady.

@radiodeclan the council have now backtracked, they now say we are not locked in and can now leave at any time. They are still refusing

— John Brady TD (@johnbradysf) May 31, 2013