Ideal Homes Exhibition targeted by Campaign for Public Housing

Dublin's Ideal Homes Exhibition is today being targeted by a protest over the homeless crisis.

The Campaign for Public Housing is opposing plans by one of the event's main sponsors, Permanent TSB, to sell off thousands of non-performing loans.

Workers' Party Councillor Éilis Ryan says they are calling on the government, as a main shareholder, to instead take control of the distressed mortgages and guarantee that people will not be evicted from their homes.

"Tenants are just as much entitled to their family home as anybody else, so I think those tenants should be delighted to receive the assurance that they're going to have full security of tenure, there won't be anybody evicting them and they can stay on renting from the State as long as they want," she said.

"For homeowners, I think the State should be in a much stronger position to negotiate in the interests of the homeowner that the vulture funds."

Separately, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he is encouraged by this week's figures showing a 40% reduction in the number of people sleeping rough in Dublin, the biggest drop since 2007.

In his weekly message on social media, he said it coincides with the biggest construction drive since the crash.

Bringing you my weekly message from aboard the MV Celine. Sign up to receive this by email: https://t.co/KcNX4L55g7 pic.twitter.com/3UTU6lSab4

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 20, 2018

- Digital desk