Bressie, Mario Rosenstock and Kin’s Clare Dunne join campaign to extend eviction ban

Among the actors, musicians and famous names joining the campaign are Mario Rosenstock, Bressie, Kin actor Clare Dunne and Fr Peter McVerry.

The campaign, in collaboration with the Raise the Roof movement, launched a video calling on the Government to keep the eviction ban in place.

The video says Ireland is in “the midst of the worst housing crisis since the foundation of this state and the Government is about to make it even worse”.

"Thousands of renters; individuals, families and children, are going to be evicted into homelessness if the eviction ban is lifted on March 31st. Where will they go? The Government must #keeptheban”.

The video also calls on the Irish public to raise their voice and share their own videos and messages on social media and elsewhere.

The campaign video also features renters facing eviction in a matter of days.

Dr Rory Hearne, author ofGaffs, and one of the people behind the video said: “We wanted to give a voice to those facing the trauma of eviction in the coming weeks if the eviction ban is lifted, and to also highlight the range of people from across Irish society who are opposed to the lifting of the eviction ban.

“Eviction and homelessness is a trauma – an adverse childhood experience. It is a breach of human rights. The ban should be kept in place for enough time so that no one is evicted into homelessness and the Government takes emergency action to provide a supply of social and affordable housing through tackling the 166,000 vacant homes, dereliction, short stay tourist lets, build social and affordable homes rapidly.”

Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council, who has also joined the campaign, said she is “really worried about the women and children who will be made homeless as a result of the lifting of the eviction ban”.

She said the eviction ban needs to stay in place until there are “safe, secure, long-term solutions”.

Mario Rosenstock called on the Government to reconsider ending the eviction ban, saying: "Thousands of people, including children and families, will be made homeless if the eviction ban is lifted.

"No one deserves to be evicted into homelessness and everyone deserves a home. Let’s keep the eviction ban.”