People Before Profit Galway’s by-election candidate Denman Rooke has condemned the eviction of 14 families in Ballybane by a private developer, calling them a throwback to the landlord evictions of the 1800s.
Mothers, fathers, and children living in Cúirt Éigis, Ballybane, were informed by landlord Cathal Shevlin that they have until autumn to leave their homes and communities because he wants to refurbish and renovate them. Some of the residents are on Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) support and Rental Assistance Support (RAS), while others are simply private tenants.
“That one wealthy individual can render 37 people homeless like this, during a housing crisis, is a damning indictment of our laws, our housing policies, and our government’s values”, said Rooke. “It also speaks to the complete disregard that Mr Shevlin has for the people whose lives he is uprooting”.
Rooke also expressed contempt for Fianna Fáil councillor Alan Cheevers’s claim that the landlord is “entitled to move people out if he is refurbishing the building”. Rooke said “Of course Cheevers talks about being entitled. The wealthy and powerful feel entitled to treat people like commodities which they can use and dispose of when and where necessary. And Fianna Fáil, along with Fine Gael, are only too happy to oblige, because entitlement is the only language they understand.”
He added that there should be greater protections for renters, and prohibitions against no-fault evictions. He called for Shevlin to be held personally responsible for securing suitable alternative living arrangements for the families he is making homeless in the name of profit.
People Before Profit stands with the people of Ballybane and Galway more broadly, and want to invite those affected to liaise with ourselves and/or the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU).
Demand a Galway we can all live in: give Denman Rooke your number one vote in the coming by-election, then transfer to other left parties to protect the seat from more of the same failed politics.
Correction:
The initially posted story ran with the line 'Many of the residents are on Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) support and Rental Assistance Support (RAS), while others are simply private tenants.'
This has been corrected to 'Some of the residents...'