No More Deaths on Our Streets Protest Rally

dublin | housing | event notice Friday November 11, 2005 17:04 by Jon Glackin - Street Seen streetseen at hotmail dot co dot uk 0868885779

The Homeless are Revolting! Join Them!

No More Deaths on Our Streets Protest Rally
Saturday 26 November 3pm
Assemble @ Garden Of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin

A number of developers are expected to bid for the 2.05-acre former UCD Veterinary College, which fronts on to both Pembroke Road and Shelbourne Road, and which is due to be sold by tender on November 30.(1) The current market value for this land exceeds 100 million

No stamp duty is payable on the transaction because it is a government sale.(2) This amounts to 9 Million written off by the Government that could be allocated to addressing homelessness rather than an incentive to unscrupulously affluent Property Developers

The Government has allegedly earmarked the proceeds of this sale to pay for their decentralisation of local government. The Government is choosing to house well paid civil servants in plush offices in Cork or elsewhere rather than address the growing homeless crisis in Ireland.

Over the last few weeks Homeless People have maintained a presence on the streets of Dublin collecting signatures for their simple demand that central goverment releases all the monies raised by the sale of the land to Dublin City Council immediately to address and alleviate the Homeless crisis in Dublin. A very simple solution that has found resonance with ordinary people in Dublin. To date there has been over 16, 000 people who have signed the petition, this phenomanal figure represents the growing anger on the streets to an uncaring Goverment. Through the efforts of homeless people Dublin City Council has ratified our motion to accept the Money raised by the sale of the building at UCD to address homelessness in the City.

Last year 53 million was allocated to Homeless services in Dublin, the Cash raised by the sale of UCD would certainly make a difference.


Some examples of How this Money could make a difference

- A psychiatrist - singular - chosen to work with homeless people in Dublin had his job offer withdrawn because of a row over funding. This happened a mere week after three homeless people were found dead on our streets. It seems the consultant wanted a number of specific supports to help in his job and the Health Executive Northern Area management’s excuse was that its budget could not stretch this far. The job would have involved dealing with the mental health needs of about 1,000 people.

- There are currently less than 30 detoxification beds and only 150 residential drug-free treatment beds in Ireland to treat the 14,500 heroin users here, the Merchant's Quay Project (MQI) has said in its recent report. It is understood that one of the three people who died over a weekend in Dublin died of a drugs overdose. Fr Peter McVerry, long-time campaigner for the homeless, voiced his concern about services for homeless young people, saying: ‘Three of four are dying every week in Dublin from drugs overdose. It is repeated week after week.’

The HSE Northern Area budget would have been well able to stretch if the Government, its departments and agencies were not so profligate with taxpayers’ money by wasting it on string of wasteful projects, or simply not collecting it - like the €173 million in unpaid taxes the Revenue Commissioners wrote off last year.

The attitude to public money by the Government virtually amounts to criminal negligence.

Street Seen is demanding urgent action. After our recent Sleep Out at the Dail cross party TD after TD re-inforced the view that we live in an affluent country.. The money is there to stop deaths on our Streets. They know it, we know it, its time to make our voices heard...


People are dying on Dublins Streets through indifference...

The Homeless community are revolting, join them...

Further Details:
Jon Glackin 0868885779
Mark Grehan 0877974622


Notes:
(1) http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/s...9420-qqqx=1.asp

(2) Stamp duty may be described as a general revenue tax which is imposed on various documents (and in some cases undocumented acquisitions) such as transfers, agreements to sell real estate, business assets, other property, documented gifts, policies of insurance, mortgages, and motor vehicle licence transfers.
The revenue is paid into the Consolidated Fund of the State, which is used to meet the costs of public services such as education, health, law and order, and public safety.
Stamp duty is imposed under the Stamp Act 1921 with supporting administrative provisions contained in the Taxation Administration Act 2003. http://www.dtf.wa.gov.au/cms/osr_content.asp?ID=178

The Homeless Are Revolting!

Join Them!