Tenants from several council estates in Dublin will gather at City Hall on December 1 to demonstrate their opposition to proposed rent hikes
Frustrated tenants are staging a protest against proposed rent hikes for those in social housing in Dublin.
With Dublin City Council's Differential Rent Scheme currently under review, tenants from several council estates have called a protest against rent raises which could see social housing tenants pay 18 per cent of income instead of the current rate of 15 per cent. Council tenant James O'Toole, who previously pushed back against mass eviction from Tathony House and now lives in social housing, spoke out against the proposed hikes.
"You spend 15 to 20 years on the housing list to get into council housing and for many working families the 15 per cent rent allows them to save a little and maybe even get a holiday in now and then," he said. "But with food bills through the roof and energy bills skyrocketing it's outrageous that the Council would steal food from the mouths of the poorest children instead of demanding the government increase its funding for local authorities by taxing the billionaires and millionaires who can afford it.. we can't."
Basin Street flats resident Ken Kelly said: "I've just had a daughter. It's a struggle to pay for everything when you've a baby in the house. As a low paid community worker, Council rent allows me to actually get by and now they want to increase the rents? It's a joke. Everyone I know is angry about this."
With the rate for subsidiary earners also potentially increasing, there is huge anger among tenants who will gather outside City Hall on Monday, December 1, to demonstrate their opposition. The protest has been called to coincide with the next full monthly Council meeting.
"The Council says some tenants are working and earning a good wage but that's no reason to pick their pockets! The social housing rent rate allows the poorest workers to save and actually get by week to week. If the government cuts funding to local authorities why should the working poor pick up the tab?" a statement from the protesting group said.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson from Dublin City Council said: "The current Dublin City Council Differential Rent Scheme is under review and further information will be available when the scheme is finalised. Any changes that result from this review would be communicated to all tenants suitably in advance of any proposed changes being implemented."
This content is funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
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