Housing ‘the civil rights issue of this generation’, says Labour leader during visit to Cork

The Labour Party has identified housing as one of the key issues in Cork that needs to be tackled in the years ahead.

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik and general election candidates in Cork met with student representatives at University College Cork (UCC) recently who voiced their concerns about the housing situation for Cork-based students.

Speaking to the media in Cork city last week, Ms Bacik said: “We heard from them about just how difficult it is for so many students, in some cases commuting many hours to get to college, unable to find any accommodation close to where they study.

“Not just in Cork, but everywhere we are hearing about housing, and about health, childcare and we’re hearing about real concerns about low pay and lack of workers’ rights so these are the issues that are coming across.”

Concerns

Describing the housing crisis as “the civil rights issue of this generation”, Ms Bacik said: “Wherever I go, I’m hearing the same concerns, the same issues facing all of our communities. Housing is number one.

“I’ve said it’s the civil rights issue of this generation but it cuts across every generation because we are seeing the chronic shortage of housing affecting so many.”

Cork City South West councillor and general election candidate for Cork South-Central, Laura Harmon, said: “We’re told that we’re a wealthy country but the people that I’m meeting on the doors in places like Bishopstown, Douglas and Togher are telling me that they’re not feeling that. They’re impacted by the cost of living.

“It’s often the case that I see three generations living in the one house.

“From my own perspective, I’m the eldest of five and three of my four younger sisters have emigrated because of the cost of living here and the housing crisis. We need to give people back a future to look forward to in Cork.”

Echoing Ms Harmon’s comments, general election candidate for Cork South-West, Evie Nevin, said: “Housing is a big issue in Cork South West. People consider Cork South West to be a very wealthy, affluent area but there are pockets where people are really struggling and where unemployment is very high and where generations of families are under one roof and it’s really not good enough when we consider how wealthy this country is but no one is actually feeling it on the ground.”