The Workers’ Party is to hold a vigil on Cork’s St. Patrick’s bridge next Sunday evening (15th October) to highlight the growing level of homelessness both locally and nationally and in protest at what the party called the government’s’ “snail’s pace” housing programme.
Karen Collins: Event organiser
Workers’ Party activist and event organiser, Karen Collins, said the event was being held to give the people of Cork an opportunity to express their anger at the massive increase in homelessness and to demand a massive housing initiative.
Ms. Collins, a member of the party’s Mayfield Branch, said that too much of the discussion on housing was between academics and commentators and that the voices of ordinary people were not being heard or listened to.
She said, we now have 8,270 homeless people in this state according to Focus Ireland. 5,222 of these are adults and 3,048 are children. One third of those in emergency accommodation are children but these figures, shocking as they are, do not represent any of the hidden homeless people or those staying with families and friends, because they have been priced out of either renting or buying a home and with no realistic hope of social housing. They are voiceless and we are calling to the people of Cork to be their voice by joining our candle-lit vigil on Friday night”, said Karen Collins.
The event will commence at 7.00pm on Sunday evening and finish up around 8.30pm and all are welcome. “This may be just a symbolic event but we hope it will shine a light on the cruel reality of homelessness in this city and country as we face another winter season”. said the Workers’ Party spokeswoman.