Cork protesters march on City Hall

Protesters who occupied part of Cork City Hall yesterday in solidarity with the Apollo House activists in Dublin have vowed to continue their campaign to help the homeless.

Members of Home Sweet Home Cork confirmed they have discussed the possibility of staging a building occupation similar to that of Apollo House, but said no decision has been taken yet.

A group of around 70 people linked to Home Sweet Home Cork gathered at Connolly Hall at around 10.30am in what was one of several solidarity rallies staged around the country.

It was timed to coincide with the High Court hearing in Dublin in relation to the occupation of Apollo House.

The protesters marched to City Hall where a group of around 40 people entered the public atrium.

Spokesman Alex Homits read out a statement, calling for more State action to tackle the homelessness crisis.

“We call upon the State to take responsibility for the housing crisis and adopt a central, long-term plan to accommodate the population,” he said.

“The market exists to generate profit and we cast this notion aside. Housing is our human right.”

He also called for the thousands of empty homes around the country to be offered to those on housing lists and in need of emergency housing, rather than being left rot, collapse, and fall into disrepair.

Fellow activist Rachael O’Sullivan said the Government has not done enough to support Cork’s “visible and invisible” homeless.

“We, as a group, intend to highlight this lack of motivation or competence through the ability of normal people to stand with their neighbours in times of hardship,” she said.

The group spent about 40 minutes in the atrium before moving outside where they continued the protest.

City council spokesman Paul Moynihan said council staff allowed the statement to be read out before inviting the protesters to take the protest outside.

He said the atrium is used by the public to avail of a range of council services, including housing assistance, and that such activity was disrupted for a time. He said a number of job applicants who had arrived at City Hall for interviews were discommoded, and had their interviews delayed by the protest.

AAA city councillor Fiona Ryan, who joined the protest, disputed the claims it had caused disruption to council business, saying she fully supported the decision to bring the protest into City Hall.

“Homelessness is a political problem which requires a political solution,” she said.

“But the Government approach has been to wash their hands of the situation and by bringing this protest to City Hall, it has raised the issue once again. It was peaceful and council activities were not disrupted.”

Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent, who also joined the protesters, said he hopes the action reminds politicians that people want action on homelessness. “We also wanted to highlight homelessness and the urgent need for more social housing and that’s why we protested at City Hall given the council is tasked with delivering housing on the ground,” he said.