Housing protest mum plans hunger strike

A mother-of-five plans to begin a hunger strike in her west Dublin home tomorrow to force her local council to move her to a safer neighbourhood.

Tallaght cleaner Aisling Bent claims that she and her children have been systematically targeted by thugs in the Glenshane Estate, where they live.

Since the separated mother moved in around 2000, her car was stolen, another car was torched, the telephone and TV wires were cut and every window on the front of the house has been broken with bricks.

She is currently 25th on a South Dublin County Council housing transfer list and is beginning the hunger strike at 6am tomorrow to get quicker access to better housing.

“As a mother, it is my duty to protect my kids and but I cannot guarantee them that anymore,” she said.

The 36-year-old, whose children are aged between 18 and eight, previously held a one-week protest outside the council’s offices on the same issue.