Sinn Féin is calling on all those concerned about Wicklow County Council’s planned rent increases to join a protest at 9:30am on Monday, 28th September outside County Buildings ahead of a special emergency meeting of the Council at 10am to discuss the issue.
The protest will take place immediately ahead of the emergency meeting that was called following the formal request made by Arklow Sinn Féin Councillor Warren O’Toole and Bray Sinn Féin Councillor John Ward, supported by eight council colleagues.
The special meeting follows growing concern among council tenants across Wicklow about significant increases being introduced under the Council’s new rent scheme, which is due to come into effect on 3rd October.
Arklow Sinn Féin Councillor Warren O’Toole said:
“We are calling on council tenants and everyone affected by these planned rent increases to join us for a protest at 9:30am on Monday, 28th September, ahead of the special emergency meeting of Wicklow County Council at 10am.
“This is an important opportunity for tenants to make their voices heard and to show the elected members the strength of feeling that exists across Wicklow about these proposed increases.
“The objective remains very clear: we want to see the planned rent increases halted.
“Myself and Councillor John Ward have been inundated with queries from tenants who are extremely worried about what these increases will mean for their household finances. The constituency offices of John Brady TD and Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin TD have also been overwhelmed with calls, emails and messages from council tenants who are concerned, shocked and frightened by the scale of the increases they are facing. Some people have reported increases of more than 100%, despite their household incomes remaining static since the previous rent review.
“The new scheme is due to come into effect on the 3rd of October. That leaves very little time for the elected members to properly consider the consequences and for the concerns of tenants to be addressed.
“We want to see as many people as possible at the protest at 9:30am on Monday morning. This is an opportunity to stand together and make it clear that these increases cannot simply be imposed without properly considering their impact on tenants and families.
“The message from Sinn Féin is straightforward: these planned rent increases should be halted, and the Council needs to properly assess their impact on tenants and families across Wicklow.”
Bray Sinn Féin Councillor John Ward said:
“The special emergency meeting at 10am on Monday is welcome, but it is important that tenants have an opportunity to make their voices heard before the meeting begins.
“That is why we are calling on council tenants and everyone concerned about these increases to join us for a protest at 9:30am.
“We have heard from tenants who are frightened about how they will manage these increases, particularly at a time when household budgets are already under enormous pressure.
“The Council now has an opportunity to properly listen to tenants, examine the scale of these increases and address the serious concerns that have been raised.
“We will also be presenting the petition that we have launched, which has already collected over 1,200 signatures in a couple of days.
“The implementation date of 3rd October is fast approaching. We are calling for the planned increases to be halted and for a proper assessment of their impact to take place.
“We are asking everyone who has been affected by these increases, or who stands with council tenants, to come along at 9:30am on Monday and make their voices heard.
“Sinn Féin will continue to stand with council tenants and will ensure their concerns are brought directly to the elected members at this meeting and beyond.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, said:
“I welcome the special emergency meeting at 10am on Monday, 28th September, and I am calling on council tenants to come along to the protest at 9:30am ahead of the meeting.
“My constituency office has been overwhelmed with calls, emails and messages from council tenants who are concerned, shocked and frightened by the rent increases they have been notified of.
“A huge number of constituents have contacted us about these rent increases, with many reporting dramatic increases in their weekly rent. For some households, the increases being reported are more than 100%.
“The protest will provide an opportunity for tenants to come together and make clear to the elected members the serious impact these increases will have on households across Wicklow.
“With the new scheme due to take effect on 3rd October, there is no time to waste.
“The focus now must be on halting these planned increases and ensuring that the concerns of tenants are properly addressed.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow-Wexford, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, said:
“I welcome the special emergency meeting at 10am on Monday and want to encourage council tenants and everyone concerned about these increases to join us for the protest at 9:30am beforehand.
“The meeting must now be used to properly examine the impact of the proposed rent increases and to give tenants a meaningful opportunity to have their concerns heard.
“Sinn Féin’s objective remains to see these planned increases halted.
“We will continue to support tenants and press Wicklow County Council to take their concerns seriously.
“We are calling on everyone affected by these increases to come along at 9:30am on Monday, 28th September, and to make their voices heard.”
ENDS