Irish ‘Occupy’ protesters plan to squat in Ireland’s abandoned NAMA properties

Liam Mac an Bháird wants to move homeless into Dublin ‘ghost estates’

Larger Text

Print

E-mail

6 Comments

Protester outside Central Bank in Dublin at the Occupy Dame Street demonstration

Photo by Photocall

Tweet

Mac an Bháird insists that should such “ghost estates” become occupied by Ireland’s homeless, strict rules will be put in place to retain order and civility. "There are no drugs or drink tolerated in these places during our occupations because we are making a political stand. It is also wholly non-violent, like the Occupy movement. And we do not take anything that doesn't belong to us in the properties we squat in."

Additionally, the groups will survive by “skip-eating,” or gathering leftover food from supermarkets.

Currently, Mac an Bháird and his group have their eyes set on one particular structure that is owned by NAMA and could be used for squatting. "It will be interesting to see if they [Gardai] are prepared to put homeless people out of the building, given that it is owned by the state and hence the people, and given that it will be likely to lie empty for years.”

And with the announcement of further cuts in the December budget, Mac an Bháird predicts growing support from the middle class. "Even at the Occupy camp at the Central Bank, there are middle-class people coming up and telling us they agree with our stance. It is the middle classes who are now paying for the greed of the bankers and the builders, and this corrupt system. They can see the logic behind taking over buildings that otherwise would be left to rot for years."

Print

E-mail

Tweet