According to TexasFootball.com's Matt Stepp
Frank Cantu has retired from his head coaching and athletic director positions at Raymondville High School
the Bearkats finished with a 4-6 record out of Class 3A
Raymondville AD/HFC Frank Cantu has announced his retirement, he led Raymondville for 11 seasons posting a 57-52 recordRaymondville is OPEN #txhsfb @dctf
The best stretch during Cantu's time at Raymondville came from 2017-2019 when the Bearkats went 27-6
Playing out of Division 4A-2 for 10 of the 11 seasons
Cantu's only other season with a winning record was his first in 2014 when Raymondville went 7-6
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ANDY VILLAMARZOAndy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007
writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times
FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area
He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports
radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings
Our latest edition of VIEW magazine and with it, a new way of giving a ‘voice’ to those who need it.
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They are hosting a Haunted House family event at the Ard Bhaile Community Centre, from 1pm to 4pm on October 31
Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) Cork is organising a fun event for families
to help build community among council tenants
A spokesperson for the group said: “Mayfield has long been one of the most deprived areas in Cork city
and we recognise the importance of strong community connections to change this situation once and for all.”
They are hosting a Haunted House family event at the Ard Bhaile Community Centre
The event is sponsored by Cork City Partnership
the same group will be hosting a free screening of the documentary The Rent Strike: The Story of Ireland’s Housing Rebellion
the documentary looks at a protest movement between 1970 and 1973 in Cork and Dublin
when 350,000 tenants throughout Ireland withheld payment in protest against rent increases
which ended in success in August 1973 with a deal made with the Fine Gael-Labour coalition government
has been told via RTÉ archive footage and interviews with surviving strikers and their families
A lot of the strike’s history took place in Mayfield
took part in the strikes and is featured in the documentary
He told The Echo it was a “very important” film
The free screening will be held at 3pm in Mayfield Sports Complex on the Old Youghal Road
A talk on mental health for transition year students was held in Mayfield Library recently
a health psychologist from Cork who is trained in cognitive behavioural therapy
and dialectical behavioural therapy skills and has worked with both adults and children
Members of the Mayfield CDP team were delighted to attend the talk
which opened with a poem about mental health read by team member Lisa
The poem reiterated the importance of positive friendships and that often we can be in a dark place but with positive support and people around us we can get through
Mayfield Community School welcomed students from local primary schools St Mark’s
St Patrick’s girls’ school and Scoil Mhuire Agus Eoin last week
Sixth-class pupils visited for two days and got to experience five subjects that they could take as secondary school students: Engineering and woodwork workshops
Teacher Siobhan Carne told The Echo: “The fun maths was really great
They had to go into a maths escape room where they got five different questions and had to break the code to escape.”
The students got half an hour to experience each subject
and all were given an application form when leaving
The school plans to host another similar taster day programme for fifth-class pupils in February next year
Mayfield Garda station has been open for 40 years in its current location
It first opened its doors in October of 1984
Superintendent Declan O’Sullivan explained that prior to the opening of Mayfield and Gurranabraher Garda stations in the 1980s
but that the new station was built in Mayfield when the population started to increase there
we have very strong community relationships between everyone in the neighbourhood
It’s a very mature area now compared to 40 years ago but we’ve great bonds with the community
there’s great local watch groups and we always get great support from the public whenever there’s an incident.”
a business group made up of local shops and service providers
has encouraged people in the area to choose a local store rather than a big company for their Christmas shopping
A spokesperson for the group explained: “Glanmire needs your support this season; the roadworks have caused local businesses to suffer with more people opting to avoid Glanmire
Remember to shop local rather than online.”
Glanmire Chamber will also be hosting a Christmas Marketing Masterclass
Members are invited to attend on Wednesday
where they will be advised in planning their Christmas social media calendar to boost engagement and reach
as well as driving sales during the holiday season
The masterclass will be held from 9am to 10am in the Community Room in Ryan’s Supervalu and delivered by Louise Mehigan at Osmax Media
Catherine Mahon Buckley of CADA Performing Arts has kindly given the group two tickets to the 2024 panto at The Everyman
It is open to Chamber members and local business owners interested in joining
Brooklodge National School in Glanmire will be marking 150 years of educating children in the locality this year and is hosting an open evening to celebrate
and friends of the school are invited to a day of celebrations to mark the occasion on Friday
It will take place from 12.40pm to 1.40pm at the school and light refreshments will be served
The Dance Factory is looking for new junior members
It will be hosting new beginner classes in Mayfield for children aged three to five and another for children over six
The classes are held at Riverview Health Club on the grounds of Mayfield GAA and cost €8 per class
Anyone who is interested in joining can get in touch at 085 2349 543
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By Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information Director
College of the Canyons student-athletes Katelyn Catu (women’s cross country) and Chase Moynihan (men’s soccer) have been named the COC Athletic Department’s Women’s & Men’s Student-Athletes of the Week for the period running Sept
Catu and Moynihan are the second set of honorees for the fall 2023 semester
Katelyn Catu / Women’s Cross Country
Catu has turned in the top time for COC’s women’s team in each of the first two races of the season
most recently at the Oxnard College Invitational on Sept
The freshman from Golden Valley High School crossed the finish line on the 5K-course with a time of 19:43.6 to take 10th in the field of 85 runners. Catu’s time helped Canyons finish sixth in the team standings and also represented an improvement of nearly a minute compared to her pace at the season-opening Moorpark College Invite the week prior
Catu and the Lady Cougars will be back on the course Friday
15 at the 3C2A Southern California Regional Preview at El Dorado East Regional Park in Long Beach
Moynihan was stellar in net for the Cougars during the team’s 3-1 home victory over College of the Sequoias on Sept
was credited with seven saves in the match including a key stop on a penalty kick in the 36th minute
He allowed one goal in the second half but was credited with his second win of the season
Moynihan (2-0) has tallied 11 saves with a 0.60 goals against average in helping Canyons to an early 4-2 record
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is supported by a number of other organisations
A spokesperson for Belfast CATU said: “The housing crisis in the North is escalating at an alarming rate
and is having a devastating impact on communities
People are living in damp and mouldy homes
subjected to eye-watering rent increases and languishing on the social housing waiting list for years
But rather than act to tackle the housing crisis
the Housing Executive is instead making its tenants homeless just before Christmas.”
while the Housing Executive is failing tenants
we will march to the Housing Executive in support of our members who are facing homelessness after being refused the right to succeed their social tenancy
We will continue to fight for all our members who are facing eviction – whether carried out by private or public landlords.”
“We are demanding that the Housing Executive redraft its policy on succession and pause all succession cases in dispute
We also call on the Northern Ireland Assembly to introduce legislation to ban no-fault evictions.”
Caitríona’s story: Caitríona lived in west Belfast with her mum
the Housing Executive refused to grant a tenancy succession and took Caitríona to court to begin eviction proceedings against her
The court ruled against her and she is being asked to leave her home by November 26
Caitríona is just one of our members facing eviction – many more of our members face the imminent prospect of losing their homes
Our latest edition of VIEW magazine and with it
a new way of giving a ‘voice’ to those who need it
Jul 28, 2024 | Campaigns, The Sunday Read
“The Rent Strike” is a powerful reminder of the impact that collective action can have
This forgotten rebellion saw over 350,000 tenants across Ireland withhold rent in protest against skyrocketing rents
Led by the National Association of Tenants Organisations
this movement of collective action achieved a significant victory in August 1973
described in The Irish Times as “undoubtedly the most dramatic and bloodless victory ever achieved in this century by tenants versus landlords”
uses captivating footage from RTÉ archives alongside interviews with the brave tenants and their families who organised and participated in the strike
It celebrates the inspiring story of this working-class campaign
with a particular spotlight on the women who led the pickets and protests every day
This summer, the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) is hosting a series of local screenings of the documentary all over Ireland
The first screening kicks off in Cork and will be followed by a major Dublin screening at the Irish Film Institute on Tuesday 6th August at 6.30pm
A research project supported Maynooth University
and SIPTU has also produced a fascinating booklet
“Rent Strike 1970-1973: Reclaiming the history of Irish tenants” and a newspaper
Both are available for buy in Connolly Books and The Library Project
For more details on all screenings and how to book tickets
The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today
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Waterford
The rally was organised by the Waterford branch of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) in respect of the 14 families who have been told they have leave the accommodation centre by the end of this month
Protestors rallied in support of 14 families residing at the Ocean View direct provision centre in Tramore on Sunday
calling for the residents to be allowed to remain in the Waterford town
Eoin KelleherTue 16 Jul 2024 at 09:00Protesters rallied in support of 14 families residing at the Ocean View Direct Provision Centre in Tramore on Sunday
The rally was organised by the Waterford branch of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) in respect of the families who have been told they have to leave the accommodation centre by the end of this month
The rally was supported by Anti Deportation Ireland
Waterford Council of Trade Unions and Waterford for All
Some of the residents have been told they had to leave by July 5
while others were given a deadline of July 26
Many of the residents have lived in Tramore for years and have put down roots in the seaside town
The protest was described by organisers as a “community action day
a family friendly solidarity gathering at Ocean View near the Prom in Tramore.”
“Over 14 families with small children in Tramore have received letters demanding they vacate their temporary accommodation by July 5 in some cases and July 26 in others,” said a CATU spokesperson
“These families have received no further information on where they are to go
or how they are to maintain the crucial employment
“They have sought accommodation in the private rental sector across the country
many of them over the course of the past two or more years
availability in the sector they have been unable to find anything
“Those in receipt of HAP come up against further barriers as many landlords will not accept HAP and
our members have also experienced further issues of racism and discrimination
“These families have already come through so much hardship and suffering in their struggle to achieve refugee status
They are now facing the intolerable situation of having nowhere to live
“We need to come together as a community to stop these evictions from happening
Our members demand a guarantee that their families will not be evicted until they are safely housed locally,” added the spokesperson
CourtsTwo men charged after seizure of heroin worth €1.6m in Dublin allegedly linked to ‘transnational criminal organisation’Two men charged over a seizure of €1.6m worth of heroin in Dublin allegedly linked to "a transnational criminal organisation" have been remanded in custody
The thirty-eight-old woman was told to hand over her house keys and leave the property after a Housing Executive order was backed up by a court judgement
She said she was finding it really difficult to sleep because of the total uncertainty of her situation
“My daughter and her child live in the house with me
I don’t even feel like putting up Christmas decorations at the moment.”
Tenants’ rights group CATU Belfast has been supporting Caitriona’s fight since she first approached them and asked for help
Members of the group have been mounting regular vigils at the house as a way of showing support for Caitriona
“This is one of the hardest things I have ever faced,” said Caitriona
I put in an application to live here the day after she died
“The support I have received from CATU Belfast has been phenomenal
I turned up at their doors and just started to cry
They told me that I was not alone and that they would support me.”
along with a number of other organisations
held a protest outside the offices of the Housing Executive last Friday (November 22) in support of Caitriona
A Housing Executive spokesperson said: “In Northern Ireland
the rules around succession in social housing are set out by specific legislation
with some further limited provision for exceptional circumstances
“The current legislation stipulates only one succession is allowed per household and this applies to both the Housing Executive and local housing associations
“Where there are exceptional circumstances
we will always balance the request for those wishing to succeed in a tenancy with the needs of applicants on the waiting list
“This allows social landlords to make the fairest and best possible use of limited social housing
“We have engaged with the occupant of this property over the course of several years
“The current occupant has no legal right to occupy this property
“The County Court granted us an order for possession in September
“While the possession order was confirmed by the court
we agreed to a generous stay on enforcement for 10 weeks
“This was to allow the occupant to arrange new accommodation themselves or to present to us for an assessment
we have persistently attempted to engage with the occupant to come to a resolution to this issue and since the court order in September we have liaised with local elected representatives to explain the facts of the case
the application to enforce the order for possession of the property in question is unavoidable
it will once again be offered to a household on the social housing waiting list.”
At the first council of the year on Tuesday
a combined motion to adopt a CATU-TCDSU partnership and establish a Housing Rights Officer for the Union incited the most vigorous debate of the evening
The motion was proposed by Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) President László Molnárfi
The Community Action Tenants Union Ireland (CATU) is an organisation that seeks to represent council tenants
mortgage holders and those in emergency and precarious living situations
It strongly advocates for direct action in its Union Guide and proposes that the Government adopt a universal public housing model to provide free accommodation to citizens of Ireland
It is currently supported by the Union of Students Ireland (USI) and Maynooth Students’ Union (MSU)
Molnárfi wanted to bring forward the motion to adopt a CATU-TCDSU partnership in order to “deepen the collaboration” between the two unions as well as to “formalise” the relationship
The Memorandum of Agreement concerning the partnership
which was approved by the CATU National Committee
TCDSU President Molnárfi and TCDSU Council
Mature Students Officer Ailish Smith proposed an amendment to the motion to remove the partnership with CATU and TCDSU
leaving just the establishment of a Housing Rights Officer
She expressed concerns that the combined motion left little opportunity for the Housing Rights Officer to engage with other housing services and
she wanted anyone speaking for or against the motion to announce if they had any affiliation with CATU
Molnárfi announced that he was a member of CATU
saying that it was important for the TCDSU to support the “power of the grassroots” and pointed to previous joint work between CATU and TCDSU
arguing that the motion only sought to formalise the relationship
not exclude other housing organisations that could help students
Ailish Smith’s proposal was approved when put to a vote
where voting members raised cards indicating whether they agreed or not
The initial vote was too close to call on first sight and so went to an individual count
With the mandate for a CATU-TCDSU partnership dropped
council member Sé Ó hÉidin then argued that the establishment of a Housing Rights Officer now “didn’t make sense”
as having removed the CATU-TCDSU partnership wording from the mandate
the Housing Rights Officer did not have a well-defined role
Procedural motion K was then proposed and passed by a vote
resulting in the mandate to establish a Housing Rights Officer being moved to next council
It is not clear what is next for the proposed CATU-TCDSU partnership
Speaking to The University Times after council
TCDSU President Molnárfi described the result as “extremely disappointing” and “disgraceful”
He argued that a “faction of council” that are “less inclined” to take direct action “used” the procedures of council in order to get their way
He described the whole event as a “bureaucratic suppression of debate”
He encourages those who disagree with the politics of a motion in the future to “bring out their own politics” when speaking so that a “proper debate” can ensue
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LOCALS IN TRAMORE in Co Waterford are planning a ‘day of action’ calling for families who live in a Direct Provision centre in the town to be allowed to stay in the area
Fourteen families have been told they need to leave the Ocean View House Direct Provision Centre in the next two weeks
Many of them have lived in Tramore for years and their children attend local schools
These people are legally allowed to stay in Ireland – they have either been granted leave-to-remain or refugee status
The families in Tramore are being supported by members of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) in Waterford
“The families are integrated into the Waterford community
involved in clubs and the adults working in jobs locally,” a spokesperson for CATU Waterford said
“Many of these families have received no further information on where they are to go
health and social networks they depend on.”
The spokesperson said the families have received references from schools
workplaces and churches “showing what a huge loss they will be to the Tramore community”
CATU Waterford said it has shared these references with the International Protection Accommodation Services (Ipas)
The group is planning a demonstration in Tramore on Sunday afternoon
calling for “a guarantee that the families will not be evicted until they are safely housed locally”
the families in Tramore received letters from Ipas saying they need to leave the centre in July
Some people were originally told they needed to leave the Tramore centre by 5 July
but have since been told they have until 18 July
Others have been given a deadline of 26 July
The letter informs the residents that they need to move out “to ensure there is sufficient space in Ipas accommodation centres to meet our legal obligation of housing those people still in the process of seeking International Protection”
The people in question will no longer have access to specific supports from the State
but may be entitled to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) or other supports from their local authority
Some families were told they would be moved to temporary emergency accommodation in Clonmel in Co Tipperary if they cannot find somewhere else to live
Others have not yet been offered temporary emergency accommodation
Hundreds of people with international protection status have been informed they need to move out of their accommodation in various parts of the country in recent months
as the Government struggles to house new applicants
rising rental costs and a lack of housing supply have made it difficult for people to find alternative accommodation
A report published by the ESRI last month found that almost 6,000 people with IP status were struggling to leave Ipas accommodation and move into mainstream housing
One mother who lives at the Ocean View accommodation centre told The Journal she is devastated about having to move
Zola* came to Ireland in 2018 and has refugee status since 2022
She has been looking for private rented accommodation for some time
She and her son have lived in Tramore for five years
She works part-time in a care centre and he attends a local school
Her son is a promising footballer and plays with the local club
“The worst part of it is that they’re waiting to hear something concrete from us
Zola is entitled to support under the HAP scheme
and could pay the rest of the rent with her own wages
She has gone to several viewings but has not been offered anywhere to rent
She said a number of landlords have told her they do not accept HAP
Landlords and agents are not legally required to rent to a person getting HAP. However, they are not allowed to refuse to rent to someone just because they receive HAP
said people with IP status often have to contend with “racism and discrimination” when trying to find a place to rent
He is aware of multiple cases in different counties where people have been told by landlords that they do not accept HAP
Michael said 14 families in the Tramore centre are affected
but that CATU networks in other counties are helping dozens of other families
He said it is unfair that some families who have spent years living in an area
working or going to school and making friends
will have to move to another county to avail of emergency accommodation there
Michael said some people in Cork were offered accommodation in Dublin
“You have refugees and asylum seekers in Dublin now living on the streets in tents
and then you have people in Cork being told there is space in Dublin and being sent to Dublin
Families in different counties have tried to find alternative accommodation
when there’s a housing crisis and there’s no accommodation
where are they going to go?,” Michael said
“Everyone that I’ve talked to in Direct Provision
I have talked to families in Cork who have gone to viewings
and they take the bus overnight and stay in the bus station.”
Michael said the event in Tramore on Sunday
showing solidarity and support to the residents
they have a community behind them who will back them up”
Ipas falls under the remit of the Department of Integration
a spokesperson told The Journal the department is currently providing accommodation to over 31,000 people who have applied for international protection
of whom 5,700 have been granted permission to remain in Ireland
there is currently a shortfall of accommodation for newly arrived IP applicants,” they added
“Where a person receives a grant of status or permission to remain
the department no longer has a legal requirement to provide accommodation to them
as those with status have the same housing entitlements as Irish citizens
Ipas has continued to provide accommodation until residents are in a position to source accommodation independently,” the spokesperson said in a statement
They noted that all people with IP status or permission to remain in Ireland are supported to register with a local authority and
avail of HAP to secure alternative accommodation
Local Government and Heritage to support people in securing alternative accommodation
“A specific transition team works in collaboration with Depaul Ireland
and Local Authorities to support residents with status to exit Ipas accommodation.”
The spokesperson added that when a person cannot secure independent accommodation by the defined date
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As previously reported in The University Times
the motion to adopt a CATU-TCDSU Partnership was dropped at the first council of this year
from the combined motion of establishing a Housing Rights Officer and adopting a CATU-TCDSU partnership
Objections were raised concerning how the Housing Rights Officer’s responsibilities were inextricably and too politically linked to working with CATU
the motions both passed with a strong majority
in proposing the motion to establish a Housing Rights Officer
described the new position as “relatively uncontroversial”
The responsibilities of the role will include assisting Union Forum and Sabbatical officers in organising housing-related campaigns
with a focus on renters’ rights and conditions of rental properties
In proposing the adoption of a CATU-TCDSU partnership
Molnárfi encouraged members to vote in favour of the motion in order to “connect to a wider housing movement”
asking Council: “How else are we supposed to challenge
The Community Action Tenants’ Union (CATU)
established in 2019 and which currently has at least 2,000 members
seeks to represent tenants and strongly advocates for direct action in its Union Guide
CATU Ireland Communications Officer Harun Šiljak said he was “delighted” to hear of the formalising of the CATU-TCDSU partnership
He said: “Formal partnership will help strengthen the student housing movement
allow more students to get organised more easily
and empower the student body to have clear and fair demands for the improvement of their housing situation.”
“Students’ position in the housing crisis is specific
and although they share many issues with other demographics
inextricably linked to the state of third level education and operation of colleges and student accommodation enterprises
He concluded: “This partnership will see the active student community conscious of the housing and other linked crises grow
create support networks and extend the horizons of what is possible.”
LGBTQ+ people have a proud history of fighting for radical new models of housing
against gentrification and for inclusive community spaces
an LGBTQ+ caucus has recently been established within the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU)
The caucus will ensure that the voices of LGBTQ+ people are represented within efforts to address the housing crisis
There are also the intolerable and dangerous housing conditions faced by LGBTQ+ asylum seekers living in the inhumane Direct Provision system
CATU is working toward launching a caucus for people of colour! If you are a union member who is a POC and would like to be involved in the groupchat to set it up, email [email protected] pic.twitter.com/EVLzxI8V0S
— CATU Ireland (@CatuIreland) January 11, 2022
In fact, the dominant housing model in Ireland has always had an oppressive effect on LGBTQ+ people
the urban geographer Ruth McManus has written about how
the Southern State’s policy of promoting privately owned suburban housing was supported by the Church as a means to reinforce the traditional
the shared spaces and social mixing associated with urban public housing were seen as a breeding ground for promiscuity and sinfulness (read homosexuality) as well as for radical politics
The sole government response to the current housing crisis has been to continue to promote private homeownership
This continues to exclude queer people because for anyone in a non-heteronormative relationship without the benefit of two incomes the chances of getting a mortgage are even more remote (alongside many other specific challenges to accessing decent
Queer people are further excluded because family wealth is the primary route to homeownership
either by living with parents while trying to scrape together a deposit or by being given a lump sum
LGBTQ+ people are more likely to be alienated from their families and not have access to such intergenerational wealth
This is obviously the same system that also excludes anyone from a working-class family from access to secure housing
which highlights the common interests amongst all those affected by the housing crisis
A further consequence of the housing crisis is the loss of valuable community spaces where queer people who are unwelcome in mainstream cultural spaces have come together to create a culture and community
Early 2021 saw the loss of Jigsaw in Dublin
a venue which had been used for countless events by a range of LGBTQ+ community groups
such spaces are being systematically eradicated to make way for sterile hotels and build-to-rent apartment complexes
https://twitter.com/E73HS/status/1472298930138492934
we need a strong and united coalition of groups affected by the housing crisis and austerity
We have set up the LGBTQ+ caucus within CATU to begin building this coalition and to allow us to develop links with other queer community groups interested in these issues
The first action taken by the caucus was to support the boycott of the Irish Times called for by the Trans Writers Union
we noted that the transphobia pushed by the Irish Times contributes to the discrimination faced by our members in accessing housing as well as to the harassment and violence we face in our communities and public spaces
We believe that to address the impact of the housing crisis on LGBTQ+ people we need universal public housing and an end to the commodification of housing and the city
We see no value in a more ‘diverse’ housing system where LGBTQ+ people can be landlords too
There’s no pride in being evicted by a queer landlord
— CATU Liberties-Rialto (@CatuLiberties) December 18, 2021
we reject predatory banks and letting agents flying rainbow flags or a future where landlords undergo diversity training and get our pronouns right
but where we are still forced to work ourselves to the bone to pay the rent
The transphobia and homophobia of landlords and letting agents is a symptom of the enormous power over our lives granted to them by the housing crisis which allows them to act with impunity
but the underlying problem is the power of landlords and the capitalist housing system
Our full emancipation will only be achieved through overturning this system
Such ambitious objectives will only be achieved through mass organisation of tenants and working-class communities, which is precisely CATU’s objective. In the last two years, CATU has grown to over 1,500 members around the country. We believe in collective direct action to directly confront those responsible for the problems we face. Change can only happen when we take action together. If you want to get involved, you can sign up here
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Community Action Tenants Union Ireland (CATU) supporters demonstrating against the lifting the eviction ban at The Spire, Dublin. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie
In the late 1960s, the Dublin Housing Action Committee and other groups around the country waged militant campaigns for better housing involving occupations, squatting and eviction resistance.
tens of thousands of council tenants across Ireland went on rent strike against increased rents
and a lack of services and facilities in council estates
the Cork Examiner reported the tenants’ commitment that “evictions would be met with physical resistance by selected action groups”
Attempts to evict rent-striking tenants were
successfully resisted in Kilmore West in Dublin and Newmarket on Fergus in Clare
These popular and well-organised movements forced successive governments to take steps to meet the country’s housing needs.
There are encouraging signs that we are beginning to see the development of similar militant and broad-based movements today
The Community Action Tenants Union Ireland (CATU) was established in 2019 and currently has 2,000 members throughout the island of Ireland.
CATU uses "collective direct action" methods such as picketing the homes and businesses of landlords who have stolen deposits
refused to carry out essential maintenance
the day before the eviction ban was due to expire
around 100 CATU members and supporters rallied at The Spire in central Dublin before marching to the Customs House and occupying the offices of the Department of Housing where they sought to deliver a letter to minister Darragh O’Brien detailing a list of demands
These included the extension of the eviction ban to cover licensees (lodgers and those in student housing)
access to public housing for anyone who wants it
improvements in standards in emergency accommodation
and the abolition of direct provision.
Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) protesters
Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ieThe minister refused to meet the activists after reportedly being advised that it would be “unsafe” to accept the letter
and no other senior civil servant deigned to make an appearance
namely in protecting the financial interests of landlords and developers.
There has also been a clear hardening of attitudes amongst the different sides in the housing debate.
While the Irish Property Owners’ Association stated that they "would not stand idly by" if the ban was not lifted
tenants supported by CATU and others have become increasingly forceful in stating they will not be easily removed from their homes
given the significant risk of homelessness that they would face if evicted
there is a growing public understanding of the idea of ‘overholding’
referring to the practice of refusing to leave after receiving an eviction notice issued by the landlord or a determination order from the Residential Tenancies Board in situations where the original eviction notice was contested
While tenants previously assumed they had to leave on the date given in an eviction notice or in an RTB determination order
it has become more widely understood that this is not the case
a landlord or bailiff cannot forcibly evict a tenant from their home without securing a court eviction order
which may take months or years to secure and cost the landlord thousands of euros in legal fees
These legal niceties are routinely ignored by landlords carrying out illegal evictions
such as a recent particularly horrifying case in Donegal where a migrant family was forced out of their home.
Supporters demonstrating at the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) protest at the Spire
Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.iePeople facing eviction are typically uncertain
In order to feel secure in the face of potential intimidation and to be able to remain in their homes past an eviction date
they need to have the active and visible support of their neighbours and the wider community.
CATU has already said that it will support those facing eviction in the coming months due to the lifting of the eviction ban
It has the potential to play a critical role in rallying local support to those who are overholding
thousands more people gathered outside the Dáil as part of the Cost of Living Coalition’s protest against the lifting of the eviction ban
who is himself facing eviction along with 25 other tenants in Tathony House in Dublin 8
told the audience that he would not leave his home to face homelessness even if this meant physical resistance
When he asked the thousands gathered if they would stand with him he was greeted with rapturous cheering.
Ireland’s history of mass organisation and collective direct action to secure improvements in housing and living conditions is directly relevant to the present.
The strategies and principles that have worked in the past
These are the only means through which we can force the Government to address the immediate housing crisis and start to build a fairer housing system
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Fr Paul Murphy leaves the Criminal Courts of Justice on Tuesday
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COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 7 February) – Authorities arrested Thursday 17 members of two warring Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) groups who figured in a clash in Maguindanao del Sur that forced villagers to flee
said the clash between the groups of Marato Felmin and Baguindali Felmin
along with police personnel from Radjah Buayan and Sultan Sa Barongis
joined forces to prevent the escalation of conflict
News reports said the incident stemmed from a land conflict in Damabago
“We are closely monitoring the area to prevent renewed violence
This serves as a warning to groups planning to engage in violence
as our military is always on alert to prevent this
especially with the election gun ban in place,” Catu added
Seventeen firearms were seized during the joint military-police operation
The suspects were freed after the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities intervened to try to forge peace between the two parties
commander of the 6ID and Joint Task Force Central
appealed to individuals and groups involved in clan feuds to resort to dialogues to resolve conflicts
No.: 082 297 4360 editor [at] mindanews [dot] com
Many of them who are frustrated by increasing rents
poor conditions and with the threat of evictions hanging over their heads have decided to organise and fight back
Community Actions Tenants Union (CATU) has sprung up in recent years and has now been organised in various branches throughout the island of Ireland. Its website states “that CATU is a union for communities and tenants
mortgage holders and people in emergency and precarious living situations
and your fellow members coming together to combat common problems
An organisation fighting for collective gains in the homes
communities and lives of all of our members.”
VIEWdigital recently spoke to 26-year-old Iain Duffin who is a communications officer for Belfast CATU
He has a degree and a Masters in economics from his time as a student at Queen’s University Belfast
“I got involved because housing is such an important issue
There is a whole generation now of people under 35 years of age who just can’t afford to buy a house
You’re stuck having to rent and landlords can do
which is not funded by any political party
gives people the ability to fight back against landlords
“CATU is all about taking direct action
You’re constantly trying to bring the landlord to the negotiating table to try and solve the dispute between the tenant and them
There are a range of things we do such as sending a letter or an email to the landlord
It’s all about applying pressure to try and get a resolution to the dispute
I don’t think landlords are use to having pressure applied to them
“Our membership is young but it varies from branch to branch
We’ve just under 200 members in Belfast
We’re not interested in having political parties affiliated with CATU
It’s our independence which allows us to do our work
If Sinn Fein become the next Government in the Republic they will also have to be held accountable for housing issues
“We’re similar to a workplace union where you have a yearly conference with motions from our various branches being passed
We believe in a policy of social housing where the State produces high quality homes which are affordable
“CATU is also affiliated to a worldwide housing rights body called Acorn International
“We would like to see lower rents but much of our campaigning is around fighting to see that repairs are carried out
“We will definitely challenge illegal evictions
If everyone in a street was opposed to a neighbour being evicted then they might not be evicted
“Housing is one of the most basic entities in our lives yet it’s traded for its exchange value,
It’s viewed as a commodity rather than a place where you live and where your children grow up
Many people can be evicted at a moment’s notice
Having to move home all the time is a nightmare
Many landlords think they can do what they want
I believe strongly that tenants can stand up for themselves and they can win.”
A recent post (below) from Belfast CATU on its Twitter account (@catubelfast) spelt out its demands ahead of the local council elections in Northern Ireland on Thursday
“I feel like when you involve people in activism with such a specific project
and be like ;this is what we’re working towards’
it keeps people going.” says Ní Haicéid
Catu Ireland is a union for communities and tenants
This union allows members of the community to come together to deconstruct common issues orbiting housing
CATU Ireland works with many amazing individuals
including queer artists Brian Teeling and Róisín Ní Haicéid
On behalf of CATU Ireland, Brian Teeling presents Phibsboro Shopping Centre. Teeling is a self-taught artist living and working in Dublin
His recent exhibitions include ‘A Vague Anxiety’ at IMMA (2019)
and ‘Uncover’ also at The Library Project and The Lavit Gallery
Teeling captures the icon of the Phibsboro skyline which is currently under threat of being transformed into an unwanted co-living space
This print is currently available for a limited run; regarding Teeling’s work
“Proceeds from the sales of this beautiful piece will go directly to CATU Ireland in support of their work with communities and tenants across the country.”
“It’s so hard to have community action and to build a broader community without the numbers and I think CATU provides that.” says Róisín Ní Haicéid
She has been involved with housing rights activism since secondary school and a member of CATU Ireland since the establishment of CATU Drumcondra
“I’ve always been involved in the homelessness sector…I started volunteering in a soup kitchen in TY and I just kept doing stuff like that – I ran a soup run when I was in first year of college and then when Take Back the City happened
there was the occupation on Frederick Street and that was before CATU was CATU,” says Ní Haicéid
Ní Haicéid goes on to talk about her experience with CATU: “I joined CATU Drumcondra two months ago
it wasn’t established so we had such a clear project when I joined…there was only six of us on the first zoom call and trying to set up the campaign for CATU Drumcondra
I feel like when you involve people in activism with such a specific project and be like this is what we’re working towards
To find more information on CATU Ireland and how you can get involved, visit their website here
New artwork by queer artist raising funds for CATU Ireland
“The only barrier to joining CATU is that you can’t be a landlord,” says Rachel Kiersey
a member of the union’s communications team
Tom Maher was already watching the progress of tenants’ unions in other cities
Glasgow and London were often successful in defending members from eviction
He was impressed “seeing the work that they have done over the last few years in terms of protecting people in a very direct way,” he says
Maher wanted to apply pressure to the government to be more proactive in addressing the housing crisis and homelessness
“You can’t walk down the street without seeing a homeless person,” he says
He counts himself fortunate because he still has a job but with rents rising faster than wages
A lot of his friends are paying high rents but living in poor conditions
with dampness or other basic maintenance works outstanding
“They are too scared to push them [their landlords] on it because maybe their rent was slightly less than it would be if they went out on to the market,” he says
“Or maybe their landlord was just ignoring them.”
So when some of his friends joined the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) in Inchicore and Drimnagh he decided to get involved too
Founded in October 2019, CATU calls itself a community-based union for tenants, including those who live in emergency and precarious accommodation according to its website.
CATU saw an increase in its numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic
At the moment, CATU is calling for an extension of the current eviction ban, which is set to expire on 20 July as well as an amnesty for those who have fallen behind with their rent during the Covid-19 crisis
The union will defend members from eviction as well as offering advice and education about rights and legislation
The only barrier to joining CATU is that you can’t be a landlord
“If you are directly profiting from a stake in housing it is not appropriate for you to join CATU,” says Kiersey
So far around 200 people have signed up and paid their dues to four local committees in Dublin — Mountjoy and Dorset Street
Phibsborough and Glasnevin and Inchicore and Kilmainham
Once a committee reaches 80 members it will become an autonomous branch of the union
Each branch can then decide what issues to campaign on in their local areas within the rules of the union
Kiersey got involved in housing action after her son joined the Take Back the City protests in 2018
The protests involved occupying long term vacant homes in Dublin city centre
including a high-profile occupation of a house in North Frederick Street
many of the activists went back into their own local areas and took up advocacy work
In time a number of housing activists wanted to move beyond advocacy and start organising tenants “so people would get involved themselves and fight for their own rights”
Last summer they started looking into models of community and tenants unions in the UK and elsewhere
Some of the organisers then travelled to Glasgow to shadow an existing tenants union called Living Rent in order to gain practical experience
Living Rent works out of an area called Govanhill in Glasgow
It’s similar to Dublin 1 where CATU started out
in that it has a high proportion of renters; many of these are migrants
There was a serious problem with rubbish on the streets in Govanhill
which the Glasgow City Council wasn’t collecting so Living Rent carried out an action to highlight that problem
“They brought the rubbish to the council offices and made it into a giant rat,” she says
and it also illustrates that Living Rent works on issues that affect the community in general as well as renters specifically
As well as getting help from international counterparts, the group was influenced by the work of the National Association of Tenants Organisation (NATO), which represented the interests of tenants in Ireland, starting in 1967, according to Dáil records
NATO negotiated with the government on behalf of council tenants in relation to rents and organised several large rent strikes
they started out knocking on doors in Dublin 1
an area where some members were already active through a group called Dublin Central Housing Action
A lot of people they called in to were interested but some were still reluctant to get involved
“A lot of people feel threatened by landlords and high rent to the extent that they don’t want to rock the boat.”
There is a general sense of anxiety among renters about what the future holds
“That is why during lockdown we gained a lot of members
people want to have a way to fight back,” she says
The idea is building community power and tenant power
Those tenants unions have toolkits like templates for letters to write to landlords or local authorities and resources that they are happy to share
Since Covid-19 the situation is getting worse for many renters
Unless the eviction ban is coupled with a rent arrears amnesty
At the moment the ban on evictions is in place until 20 July
Any tenants who cannot pay their full rent are running up arrears and that is a ground for eviction at a later date
The Department of Housing didn’t respond in time for publication to queries about the eviction ban and rent arrears
Activism can be draining and often people get burned out
“The idea behind it being a union is that some people can take steps back and other people can step forward.”
Often activists end up paying for things like printing out of their own pockets
So CATU is charging a membership fee starting from €5 per month
you pay membership dues to resource the campaigns,” she says
Laoise Neylon is a reporter at Dublin Inquirer
You can reach her at lneylon@dublininquirer.com
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Publication date 12 April 2023 | 21:10 ICT
Representatives from the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) and the Cambodian Alliance of Trade Unions (CATU) – along with trade unions and associations working in the labour sector – announced their intention to celebrate the 137th anniversary of International Workers’ Day on May 1
The announcement was made in an April 10 joint letter addressed to Phnom Penh municipal governor Khuong Sreng
The letter said the day is an important opportunity to celebrate workers’ rights around the world
“As 2023 marks the 137th anniversary of International Workers’ Day 1886-2023
we intend to organise the event with the theme ‘Together
to promote labour rights and freedom of trade unions’,” the letter read
They intend to gather at the CDC Park at 6:30am to march along Sisowath Quay towards the National Assembly
the Coalition of Cambodian Apparel Workers Democratic Union (C.CAWDU) and the Building and Wood Workers Trade Union Federation of Cambodia (BWTUC)
confirmed that the Phnom Penh municipal hall had seen the letter
“The contents of the letter were too broad
we have asked the signatories to resubmit their application,” she said
Opinion: housing activists and advocates have been pushing to redress the current crisis in Ireland and achieve a more equitable system
While the scale of the housing challenge is vast and often presented as a 'wicked problem’
community leaders and housing advocates have been pushing to redress the crisis and achieve an equitable housing system
These activists aim to pressure government to act decidedly and effectively by encouraging public debate about housing as a human right
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Hugh Brennan from the Ó Cualann Co-housing Alliance on the massive sale price for a Dublin home built four years ago under the Affordable Housing Scheme
If such reactions exist, how have they emerged and what have they been doing in relation to housing justice? This is the question that drives my recent research on the politics of housing
I look at the current existing housing crisis not only in terms of policy effectiveness and housing inequality
but also the unprecedented wave of movements for housing justice
The new housing groups that have proliferated in Ireland have been at the forefront of the urban struggle
housing activists are identifying the structures of wealth accumulation for which the housing poverty and homelessness are the most salient consequences
most movements are organised around a ‘new’ social agenda based on a right to housing and the city
They are concerned about housing justice and come together to demand major changes in housing policy
while challenging the lack of rights of the homeless and migrants
weak tenancy laws and the puny regulation around vacant properties
they have been mobilising policy mechanisms in favour of the social function of properties and the decommodification of housing
This is based on the assumption that decent housing is a human right and should not be left to the free market
RTÉ News report on housing protests in Dublin in 1969 organised by the Dublin Housing Action Committee
In the 1980s and 1990s, the ‘social partnerships’ demobilised and professionalised local communities organising, which de-politicised and co-opted community activism. It was the anti-austerity movements that awakened the dormant popular forces and spurred on the Right2water campaign in 2013
new Irish housing movements began to emerge
as the initial period of the crisis gave way to a new housing and homeless crisis from 2014
thousands marched on Leinster House in a housing protest organised by Raise the Roof in October 2018
New conditions mean new forms of organisation
Housing activists launched campaigns to demand the right to housing in the constitution
mobilised in person and on social media and mounted protest campaigns with varying degrees of success
Its participants range from local community activists with a progressive agenda and elected politicians in left and centre parties to charities
trade unions and more radical left-leaning individuals
members of Take Back The City discuss their protest against the housing crisis in September 2018
These movements differ in their strategies
Take Back The City and Home Sweet Home deployed direct action to challenge real estate market speculation
connecting activists with different backgrounds to call for a better use of vacant buildings
Raise The Roof promotes the right to housing via mass campaigns and institutional activism
adopting a less conflicting action repertoire
CATU uses tenant community organisation and direct action to stop evictions and protect renters rights as a larger part of its activities
It is also important to note the contribution of scholar-activists to the housing justice movement
data and experiences gained from housing research to inform new policies and future political action
but also are publicly committed to the emancipatory potential of housing mobilisation
how long-term renting is impacting on our mental health
Consultation mechanisms do exist in the formulation of Irish public policies
but it is not clear whether citizens' contributions are incorporated into the final product
When citizens do not participate in meaningful policy making
the results often lead to further lack of confidence and low trust in the political system
It's easy for critics to dismiss the achievements of the housing movements and point out the many things they have not been able to do
success in social movements is not exactly black and white and many elements need to be considered before we talk about success or failure
Success depends on the activists' point of view and goals
and the results of social movements depend on the political context
John Mark McCafferty (Threshold) and Margaret McCormack (Irish Property Owners' Association) discuss rent hikes
Housing organisers are notable for what they have achieved: bridging the gap between different groups and communities
challenging the deep-pocket real estate investors lobby
winning the temporary but meaningful eviction and rent increase moratorium
bringing the debate around housing rights to new audiences
People in Ireland now understand more about the crisis
about who is to blame and alternative solutions and openly discuss eviction bans and rent controls
housing movements have brought their bold visions of a better housing future to the general public
the pandemic has exacerbated housing precarity
It has made housing activism even more significant
and challenged housing activists to innovate and survive in uncertain times
The challenge of the various Irish housing movements and activists is to consolidate at a mass level around housing solutions that can tackle the housing crisis
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
RTÉ.ie is the website of Raidió Teilifís Éireann
RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
CATU Ireland is a union for communities and tenants, including renters, council tenants, mortgage holders and people in emergency and precarious living situations.
The campaigning community group’s ‘Summer Social’ event extends an open invitation: ''Everyone is welcome. Bring your flat-mates, bring your neighbours, bring your kids and bring your pets if you like.
''Have some food in the sunshine (hopefully) and meet the people who live in your community.
''We’ve made an eventbrite page to gauge numbers as we’ll be bringing along some food to complement your own picnic lunch so if you are planning on joining please sign up at https://tinyurl.com/catu-summer/ for a ticket."
For further CATU (Ireland) events and information contact CATU Belfast branch on Facebook at @CATUBelfast and also https://catuireland.org/
CATU Belfast Summer Social event location details: Alexandra Park, Antrim Road, Belfast, BT15 3BY
Earlier in the day, (Saturday June 18 2022) the newly-formed 'Cost-of-Living Coalition Belfast', which is calling for politicians and employers "to act in the face of calamitous price hikes", are set to hold a protest, organised by Unite the Union, at Belfast City Hall at 12.30pm.
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People who have moved to Dublin from other countries are among the most vulnerable tenants in the city
a small crowd camped outside Dimitar Angelov and his father’s house in Phibsboro
Angelov nervously walked in and out of the house and drifted in and out of conversations
A man wearing grey shorts and a jumper danced with the music that played out of a boombox he’d brought
Two older men and a woman with sunglasses huddled together
They were all there to stop Angelov and his father’s eviction from the house they had lived in for 10 years
Angelov said his landlady probably drove by but got scared off by the crowd
was a member of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU)
but only recently I managed to join them,” said Angelov
Migrants like Angelov – who moved to Ireland with his father from Bulgaria when he was about 12 – are more likely to live in the private-rented sector than people born in Ireland and more likely to live in overcrowded conditions, or be pushed into homeless shelters, says an April 2022 report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)
All that is making members and former members of the housing union CATU ask themselves how they can effectively get migrants more involved
people looking for housing support must join them first
CATU coordinators don’t know how many of its active members have migrant backgrounds and
how many are from outside of the European Union
It doesn’t ask about people’s nationality when they join
“it is difficult to estimate the active membership full stop
given how peoples’ commitment can wax and wane based on personal circumstances”
says they tried to find out through an online survey once
but it can be hard to get people to fill out online forms for stuff like that
Two of the 11 members of the union’s national committee are migrants
“We also have a migrant member of staff on what is an even smaller staff team.”
People can join working groups on the national level unconditionally
they must be in a local group with at least 15 members
The requirement “secures operability and sustainability of the local group”
Problems singular to migrants – from precarity of immigration status
to particular traumas – are barriers to people having time to get engaged in the union and run for leadership positions
“To ultimately tackle the root causes we need to build our power as tenants and working-class communities of all backgrounds,” Faogáin said
to live in overcrowded accommodation and to be homeless than Irish-born people
Over half of all migrants were living in private-rented housing in 2016
compared to 13 percent of Irish-born people
Migrants from Poland were most likely to be renting (75 percent were)
as well as people from other parts of Eastern and Central Europe
and Central and South America (73 percent)
Migrants are also more likely to live in overcrowded accommodation: over 30 percent of Eastern Europeans (excluding Polish nationals) did
Black migrants were twice as likely to live in overcrowded accommodation as White migrants
And living in the rental sector is expensive and precarious
long-term reliance on the private rental sector may have consequences for migrants’ housing quality
family formation and quality of life,” the report says
Migrants are more likely to experience poverty and find themselves unable to afford rent
That is especially true for non-EU and Eastern European migrants
50 percent of families entering homelessness in the Dublin region did so as a result of issues stemming from being in private rental accommodation”
drawing on a report from the Dublin Region Homeless Executive
Some migrants are more vulnerable to homelessness than others
including asylum-seekers and non-EU women and children fleeing domestic violence who fall undocumented
And migrants’ share of homeless figures is likely to be more than what available data suggests
Several factors stymie proper documentation of migrant homelessness
information gaps regarding migrant rights and entitlements
difficulties navigating the social welfare system
and the immigration status of certain persons,” says the report
a former member of CATU and a non-EU migrant who recently became an Irish citizen
says the union should do more to connect its migrant members
especially those from outside the European Union
“Non-EU migrants have specific housing issues and legal issues based on their immigration status,” said Waszak on a Zoom call recently
Without power within the organisation and community
concerns around people’s immigration statuses
says they consider people’s backgrounds when advising about resisting eviction
The Department of Justice considers people’s behaviour and encounters with the Gardaí when judging their character for citizenship
but what counts as good character has been ill-defined
Some immigration permissions, like the humanitarian leave to remain that is granted at the discretion of the Minister for Justice, often after an application for asylum fails, also has a condition that people be of “good character”
A CATU few staff members and national reps have teamed up with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties lately to get legal and practical advice on protecting the right to protest for those who are in vulnerable immigration situations
people can choose to take calculated risks and telling them not to can be patronising
“For non-migrants to be telling migrants what risks they can or cannot take
or prevent them from engaging in resistance to injustice,” said Faogáin
They said that if there’s a decision to go ahead with an action
union members show up in numbers to cushion confrontational situations
Faogáin says there’s already an LGBTQ caucus in CATU and a Latin American working group in its infancy
Waszak points to the importance of having a people of colour caucus within the union
Said Faogáin: “Caucuses are formed when minority group members come together to form one.”
The national committee members can’t set them up
CATU is trying to translate material into different languages to attract minority members and is giving free membership to those living in direct provision
“With the intention of facilitating the formation of a People of Colour caucus being formed by members so long as that is what the affected members wish to do,” they said
Some migrants come to meetings but struggle to follow the discussions because of language barriers
so she supports the idea of a migrant caucus
and sometimes the vocabulary is very specific,” says Sassi
Some people might not know that RTB stands for the Residential Tenancies Board
she says – or what other acronyms of housing places and things mean
On 8 August at a table in a café in Phibsboro
João Gabriel Aperibencio Amorelli told a story about how his landlord had thrown his family’s belongings down a flight of stairs as his 13-year-old brother-in-law
Amorelli says that he doesn’t attend union meetings
Attending meetings could probably help improve his English
CATU is “working to eliminate language barriers within the union”
“[W]e are working on providing interpreters
and language exchanges to facilitate those who may face language barriers,”
Sassi says initial efforts to form a migrants’ group haven’t yet panned out but they’re working on it
a migrant person to meditate when something’s in regard of a migrant person,” said Sassi
to make sure there’s always someone around in a group to relate to and understand the other’s experiences
It is vital to engage migrants and make them feel like they belong with initiatives like that because housing issues already racialise and alienate people
and pulls out a poster from the National Party
that she had torn off a wall in her neighbourhood
All reminders to some that they can’t fit in or feel welcome here
The ESRI study from April 2022 points to discrimination that migrants face when trying to rent
from landlords stereotyping some groups as wealthy and trying to charge them more
to those “grounded in prejudice and resentment towards minorities
Sassi says when she first moved to Ireland
living in overcrowded homes and how it was accepted as normal among other Brazilian students racialised her
All of this makes forming migrants’ groups where people can relate to and understand each other’s experiences essential
Shamim Malekmian covers the immigration beat for Dublin Inquirer
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