A national demonstration over the housing and homelessness crisis has been taking place in the capital today.
Protesters under the Raise the Roof banner gathered at Parnell Square at 1 o'clock this afternoon, and have been marching through the city centre.
They say the state needs to create a legal right to housing, which already exists in 80 countries across the globe.
"Raise The Roof is a alliance of not just trade unions but NGOs, a wide range of political parties, and indeed women's groups, students," said Irish Congress of Trade Unions General Secretary Patricia King.
There has been some disruption to Luas and Dublin Bus services, with heavy traffic in the O'Connell Street area as roads remain blocked.
18/05/2019. Raise the Roof Protest. Pictured a serperate group from the Raise the Roof Campaign block O’Connell Bridge in Dublin and set off a flare as the Raise the Roof Housing protest marched around the city to the GPO. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ieNew eviction rules planned
Meanwhile, new legislation is planned to prevent landlords from evicting long-term tenants without a clear reason.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has outlined the plans in the Irish Independent today.
He says it's government policy to introduce tenancies of 'indefinite duration' in legislation later this year.
Currently, a landlord can evict a tenant after six years without a reason, but the Minister says that will change.
