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.

“I am suffering. Badly. I have worked, paid my taxes, worked for my community.

Now I'm homeless, looking at these empty houses. It’s a scandal.

“And old people here are living in dread. People can break into those empty houses."

Some 10% of all publicly-owned houses in the historic terraces in the heart of Blackpool are currently vacant, according to Solidarity TD Mick Barry, who organised the protest with councillor Fiona Ryan.

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

Mr Fitzpatrick, who previously worked to rehabilitate offenders, was involved in youth work and worked in financial services, said he “finds no compassion” in the Irish authorities anymore.

(Left to right) John O'Connell, Breda O'Connor, Breda Murray and Denis Fitzpatrick at the protest in Madden's Buildings today. "Old people here are living in dread. People can break into those empty houses." Picture: Dan Linehan

Since 2019, he has been relying on family and friends to let him sleep on their couches, spare beds and floors, travelling as far as Tipperary to find somewhere safe to sleep.

"You can’t even get an answer as to where you are on the [housing] list. You’re now just a number, or a piece of binary code, you’re not a human being," he said.

“All these constant blows, one after the other, you lose your sense of dignity."

Mr Fitzpatrick lost the home he rented when the building was taken over by NAMA and sold, he said.

Mick Barry TD and Cllr. Fiona Ryan with residents of Madden's Buildings in Blackpool, Cork, protesting to demand action on vacant houses. Picture: Dan Linehan

“The law didn’t protect me," he said.

“I don’t want to be squatting. I’m a good, law-abiding citizen." 

Mr Barry warned that small housing protests, like the protest in Cork today would be building up in the weeks and months ahead.

The government's new 'Housing for All' policy which aims to tackle the housing crisis is expected to be launched.

TD Mick Barry warned that small housing protests, like this one in Cork today, would be building up in the weeks and months ahead. Picture: Dan Linehan

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said that the policy will deliver social housing “on a scale never seen before”.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said that public health restrictions since the pandemic impacted work on vacant council housing as ensuring homeless people had access to emergency accommodation was a pressing priority.

The numbers attending housing allocation meetings also fell at this time, they said. 

More than €24m has been provided to Cork City Council by central government over the past five years to bring vacant properties back into stock, further supplemented with the Council’s own resources. 

Some 10% of all publicly-owned houses in the historic terraces in the heart of Blackpool are currently vacant, according to Solidarity TD Mick Barry, who organised the protest with councillor Fiona Ryan.

"The significant level of investment has continued into 2021 and Cork City Council envisages all, but a minimal number of units, being available for rent by end of March 2022.

"4,629 were on the City Council’s housing list as of the end July.

"Cork City Council’s Housing Capital Division has been extremely active over the past five years in adding new units to our stock of homes. 2,100 were delivered up to the end of 2020 with at least a further 1,650 anticipated by the end of 2022."