Éirígí Protest At Sandyford IRES Office
Éirígí activists and supporters took part in a ‘Stop The Vultures’ protest at the Sandyford offices of IRES REIT on Saturday, September 19th. The protest was the latest in a series of housing-related protests, public meetings, direct actions and other events that Éirígí has organised in South Dublin over the last four years.
Outside the IRES offices in Sandyford
Much of that housing activism has been focused on highlighting and challenging the vulture landlord takeover of housing in Ballinteer, Dundrum, Sandyford, Stillorgan, Leopardstown, Nutgrove and the surrounding areas.
In the space of just seven years a handful of vulture landlords have amassed a portfolio of over 4,000 homes in these areas of South Dublin. Current plans, which are at various stages of development, could see that number increase to over 10,000 homes over the coming years.
A simple message - Vulture Landlords - Out! Out! Out!
IRES REIT is the largest private landlord in both the state and South Dublin. It currently controls more than 800 homes spread across elven separate housing developments in Sandyford and Stillorgan. The company has already secured planning permission for more than 500 additional homes on two Sandyford sites that it bought at a heavy discount from NAMA.
Government housing policy will condemn another generation to housing injustice
Since it began operations in South Dublin, IRES has deployed an extremely aggressive rental-price strategy, repeatedly smashing through previous supposed ‘rent ceilings’. Where IRES have led, other vulture landlords and ‘traditional’ landlords have followed. As a result rents in South Dublin have skyrocketed and are now among the most expensive in all of Ireland.
In the first six months of 2020, the amount of rent taken in by IRES increased by a staggering 30.2% when compared to the same period in 2019. The translates to more than €1,150,000 in rental income per week - rental income which is entirely tax free thanks to the Real Estate Investment Trust legislation that was passed by Fine Gael and Labour in 2013.
Only UP Housing - Universal Public Housing - can end the housing crisis and transform Irish society
The fight for housing justice has been ongoing in Ireland for centuries. Throughout all of that time the landlord class have shown themselves to be utterly ruthless in the pursuit of maximum profit.
The idea that landlords in general, and vulture landlords in particular, have a part to play in solving the housing crisis is beyond laughable. And yet still the majority of Irish political parties continue to promote the pretence that our society cannot deliver housing justice without private landlords.
A previous Éirígí action targeting IRES
Éirígí understands that the interests of landlords and the cause of housing justice are in fact in permanent conflict. We also understand that the landlord class must be exposed and confronted at every turn.
Only the creation of a new system of Universal Public Housing can deliver housing justice and transform Irish society for the better in the process.
If you want to join us in the fight against landlordism and in support of UP Housing please get in touch today.