A number of homeless people were escorted off the premises of Leinster House yesterday as they demanded that the Taoiseach meet them about a petition signed by 20,000 people. It calls on the Government to "urgently address the issue of homeless".
The group of about eight were part of a larger group of homeless people from Dublin who were at Leinster House to hand in a petition of 20,000 signatures calling on Bertie Ahern to give the proceeds of the sale of a site in Ballsbridge, Dublin, over to tackling homelessness.
The smaller group made their way past security and sat down outside Leinster House, saying they would give the Taoiseach half an hour to come out and see them. Dáil ushers escorted them from the premises.
Under Oireachtas security protocol visitors to Leinster House must have a prearranged appointment to pass the Kildare Street gate, and are usually chaperoned at all times.
Mark Grehan, spokesman for Street Seen (a newspaper campaigning on homelessness), was not among those who made his way to the Dáil. However, he said he supported their action, and said a decision was made not to hand in the petition until the Taoiseach agreed to meet the group.
"In fairness, it would only take him two minutes to come out and show he took our concerns seriously."
