Protestors highlight 'scandal' of Cork city's 400 vacant homes

Across Cork city, more than 400 public housing units are vacant while 413 people are homeless in the city.

Solidarity TD Mick Barry and Cllr Fiona Ryan with residents of Madden's Buildings in Blackpool, Cork, protesting over the number of vacant houses in the city. Picture: Dan Linehan

Chants of “housing for people, not empty homes" were heard above loud honks of support from passing motorists during a protest against hundreds of houses lying vacant across Cork city.

Denis Fitzpatrick, 64, a former priest who has been homeless since 2019, said that walking past vacant units in Madden’s Buildings, Blackpool, where the protest was held, is devastating.