Invitation to Urgent Public Meeting On Evictions in Portlaoise on Saturday 25th June

by Ken Smollen

Next Saturday 25th June, the ‘Standing Together’ meeting at 1.30 pm in The Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise can see real progress being made in our fight against the bailed out banks and the vulture funds who have engaged in a hidden onslaught on thousands of decent, hardworking citizens in our country and their families. There can be no doubt that in years to come there will be an inquiry into how and why 3 successive Governments not only allowed the terrorising of so many of their own people but actually gave this great injustice their full support. Such an inquiry will undoubtedly lead to proper justice being meted out to those directly responsible and also to anyone who helped facilitate this wrong doing!

For real progress to be made it is imperative that all genuine people, groups, political parties and other determined organisations must work together. Any division in this very justified campaign will not only please the very many uncaring TD’s in Leinster House; it will also lead to failure to achieve our ultimate aim. That aim should be to achieve fairness for our people and a fair and sustainable solution to the mortgage distress crisis where families should no longer have to go without some of the basic necessities of life in order to keep a roof over their heads!

There can be no doubt that many of the people who will attend on Saturday will be living through this ongoing nightmare every day. Others attending will simply be aware of the crisis and see the urgent necessity for a resolution to be found. We can also be reasonably certain that a number of politicians will also attend, with most if not all of them being fully supportive of our unified campaign.

It is for that reason that I urge anyone who intends to be there on Saturday NOT to bring banners of any kind, and NOT to bring coffins or coffin lids with slogans written on them. This is NOT a protest meeting. IT IS a meeting where we must give the Government a final warning or an ultimatum that they must force the banks who operate within this jurisdiction to find a fair and sustainable solution for all mortgage holders, and while that solution is being sought, that ALL Eviction proceedings in the courts throughout Ireland be halted. We cannot afford to give them or any of the media who will be present reason to see us as just a group of disorganised protesters. We MUST be seen as reasonable people demanding a reasonable resolution to a hidden and growing humanitarian crisis that affects probably well over ONE MILLION people in our country!

I have requested that the reporter and camera crew from RTE not to film or show the faces of anyone in attendance unless they do so with the full permission of anyone concerned. They have agreed to this and before any filming or photo is taken of the attendance that it is done from the back of the room with a warning beforehand. This is to ensure that we protect the identities of everyone in attendance. I would therefore ask that anyone who intends to take photographs or film the proceedings to please adhere to the same principle as we must not cause distress of any kind to anyone in attendance.

It is highly likely that the uncaring TD’s in Government will call our bluff as many of them will be of the opinion that there is very little we can do if they fail to take the necessary and appropriate action in forcing the banks to engage fairly with their customers and if they also fail to ensure that there is a moratorium on the Eviction proceedings in the courts.

This is where I am of the opinion that their thinking is very flawed. I have no doubt that a properly organised group of people can have a huge effect on the workings of the courts, solicitors, MABS, the Personal Insolvency Service and other such Government backed organisations and all without the need for protest of any kind.

I have discussed such a plan with a handful of people and it will be openly discussed at Saturday’s meeting. I feel that it’s better that it not be revealed until then for the simple reason that we don’t want to show our hand before we need to. It will be simple to implement, does not involve protests, but will require a minimum of about 10 dedicated people in each county that takes part. I believe that together we can achieve great success by working closely with people who genuinely want a resolution to this desperate crisis.

On Saturday if we decide to implement this plan, it should be enough to cause a huge ripple effect that will cause major problems for the cosy cartel who obviously feel that they will always have the upper hand. The more people there are per county will result in our aim in those counties being achieved in a shorter period of time.

Even though Saturday’s meeting begins at 1.30pm, I and a number of other people will be in the Killeshin Hotel, Portlaoise from 11.30am. It’s not for me to decide who the seriously committed people are who will lead the way. That decision must be made by each individual themselves.

We must have a proper plan in place in order to succeed. As the saying goes, ‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!’

Finally, thanks everyone for your continued support. I hope to meet as many of you as possible before the meeting and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone else at the meeting which must commence at 1.30pm sharp.

Read about previous meeting in Portlaoise at the following link:-

Campaign Launched For Repeal of The Evictions Bill