54 thoughts on “Another Occupation

      1. SOQ

        Let SF publish how many of their members own other people’s homes before they throw stones of course.

  1. Alan McGee

    Why are they ‘occupying’ private property?
    Surely the occupation of state property would yield the type of attention they need. Why don’t they go and occupy Kilmainham Gaol, the National Museum, Dublin Castle other OPW buildings etc.
    They’d have hundreds of tourists live tweeting and instagraming, facebooking etc. the state of the country

      1. Alan McGee

        I can’t.
        Also that does not answer the question – Why are they ‘occupying’ private property?

        1. realPolithicks

          They are occupying “vacant” private properties to highlight the amount of properties which are sitting idle while thousands of people are searching for a place to live. It’s not that complicated.

          1. Alan McGee

            @realPolithicks Explain to me further if it’s not that complicated.
            Are they (a.) Expecting the private owners to ‘do the decent thing’ and hand over their assets to them? Or are they (b.) Expecting central?? or local?? government/council to seize the assets of the private owners and redistribute them at government/council whim? Or (c.) something else, please tell me?
            Also, is this a communist or facist ideology/tactic? It would seem to me (a.) above would be communism while (b.) would be fascism.

          2. Nigel

            I mean, it’s funny you can’t conceive of a middle ground where government proactively incentivises development of idle properties through grants or taxation, or through examining whatever planning or legal problems might be affecting their development and looking for remedies.

          3. realPolithicks

            Mr Mcgee, you clearly have a certain point of view on this issue so I am not going to spend my time “explaining” my views to you. If you have anymore questions I suggest you ask the google or as Nigel suggests perhaps ask the people involved.

          4. Alan McGee

            @Nigel So by occupying private property they are going to engage government????
            To bring about this – middle ground where government proactively incentivises development of idle properties through grants or taxation, or through examining whatever planning or legal problems might be affecting their development and looking for remedies.

            Yes Nigel, that is funny.

            I will say Nigel your one line solution (taxation, grants, planning, legal problems) is a very neat solution and really should be posted to their Facebook page as it’s aim is quite incoherent

          5. Alan McGee

            @realPolithicks You assume my ‘point of view’ (which is what? what is my point of view?) and you fail to explain your own.

            I hope you’re not associated with this group because your dismissive and presumptuous attitude is (politely) atrociously arrogant.

            I have read through the groups Facebook page and their ‘demands’. I’m still none the wiser as to the wisdom of ‘occupying’ private property.

            @nigel reply of conceiving a middle ground where government proactively incentivises development of idle properties through grants or taxation, or through examining whatever planning or legal problems might be affecting their development and looking for remedies. – is a very good notion. but I’ll say this again with more feeling – Why do they think ‘occupying’ private property will make government pay attention or the public (3,366 Facebook likes) come on board?

            I remember talking to members of the ‘Occupy Dame street’ group. Nice people but incoherent in aim and objective. It was at least a public space however.

            The taking of private property is only going to highlight how quickly enforcement can be actioned.

        2. Nigel

          Because vacant sites and houses lying idle around cities is a big issue? You may disagree, but it isn’t as if it’s that difficult to discover the reasons.

        3. Alan McGee

          @Nigel but I did like your proposal. I’m just wondering how taking private property is going to force governments hand in exercising this bold vision?

          1. Nigel

            Well I’ve tried writing it on pieces of paper and sealing it in bottles and throwing them into the sea but still the government ignores me but once my Occupatatron 5000 Vacant Sitenator is complete SENSIBLE GOVERNMENT DECISION-MAKING WILL BE MINE.

            Which is to say, I’m not occupying any private property except my own at the moment, so I’m not really the person to be asking detailed questions of how the activists see this going in terms of turning activism into government action.’Raising awareness’ is almost certainly in there, though.

          1. Alan McGee

            And there it is in a nutshell. @Nigel has a wonderful solution but has no idea how to implement it and @realPolithicks thinks their views are so certain they don’t need explaination.

            See you at the barricades comrades

          2. Nigel

            Dammit! My solution to the homeless crisis through engaging in a short series of snarky internet comment exchanges isn’t proving effective, you say? Back to the drawing board!

    1. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

      I guess it means there’s not one home available for people who are homeless? Dunno.a

  2. Joe Small

    Fair play to them I suppose. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t share their politics but housing needs to be kept on the agenda. I thought having a go at a Minister for going on a summer holiday was a bit low.
    Now, where’s the coherent agenda for an alternative credible housing policy?

    1. rotide

      Can’t agree with that more. With all the handwaving and gnashing of teeth about the housing crisis, there’s always been a notable absence of actual ideas for policy and action. A lot of cribbing, but no actual ideas.

      1. JunkFace

        Build Modular Homes! Use the latest 3D Printing Technology. Its all there online for research. The Danes , Swedes and Germans are already testing many different types. These homes would cost a fraction of the normal build. They can also go high rise up to 10 floors. Irish Gov. are just lazy with fresh ideas and do not want to upset their wealthy builder friends with their offshore accounts.

        1. Rob_G

          How many 10-storey, 3D-printed modular buildings are currently built & have people living in them in those 3 countries put together, would you say?

          1. Rob_G

            Well, that’s the thing – these are great ideas and should indeed be explored further, but don’t do anything to increase supply now – we need new houses now, not in a decade’s time.

          2. Andyourpointiswhatexactly?

            Oh right. I hear you. I know: I’m one of those fools paying exorbitant rent in South Dublin.

          3. JunkFace

            There are some of these built in Denmark as student residences near Universities, but they are 4 storeys high. They are functioning and well kitted out apartments. I think they are in Copenhagen. But yes, people are living in them.

        2. rotide

          This , like the container homes, looks like a great idea. I have no idea how good they are in practice (storms, fire etc etc). More importantly than that though, is that it’s one thing to say ‘Just look online, you can build modular homes’ and quite another to formulate and lay out a comprehensive plan to use them to allevieate the current crisis.

          FG have been a shambles dealing with this, but at least they’ve attempted to create some actual plans. I’m sure we’ll see a lot more plans as election time comes nearer, but it would be nice to see them now rather than later.

  3. Frilly Keane

    Btw
    Occupy vacant and idle properties held by Banks, Local Authorities, State and Semi states

    And I’d throw Catholic Church assets in there too

    What private citizens do with their own property, unless illegal activities are taking place there, or it is a place where people are at risk or the property was acquired by gains of criminal activity, is that owner’s own business

    Stick to occupying the rest and ye won’t be long getting Government attention

    The Summer Hill occupation was sorted by the owner
    Not the Government or the local authorities so they got to turn the blind eye
    Again

  4. Stan

    We have a housing crisis because the government is composed of, and largely elected by, the sort of people who see houses as investments and would go red in the face at the idea that you could, or should interfere with the ‘market’ in order to ensure that people who didn’t inherit a wedge of land somewhere in the bog, or have the sense to go to school or college with builders and auctioneers might have somewhere to live. Of course, when the market collapses they’re all for the rest of us paying for the damage. If you want to change it, stop voting for parties that represent the landlord/ builders/ estate agent classes.

    1. Cian

      This has a grain of truth. A 2 out of very 3 households are owner occupied (either fully owned or with mortgage) 2016 census. So it is in the interest of the majority for property to maintain or increase in price.

      I would imagine that if you exclude non Irish that percentage would increase. So the percentage of voters is larger still. So yes, people will vote for parties that will keep prices high for selfish reasons.

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