An estimated crowd of more than 20,000 people gathered at the Custom House on the banks of the River Liffey today to hear the Government have been “put on notice” over the MICA scandal.
Speaker after speaker addressing the huge crowd said they were fully behind the call for a 100% Redress Scheme for those whose homes are falling down around them.
They included Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald, Independent Thomas Pringle, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue, Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh, the Green Party’s Michael White and Aontu’s Peader Toibin.
Local MICA campaigners who spoke included Ann Owens and Paddy Diver.
Such was the size of the crowd that it took more than half an hour for the full crowd to gather at the Custom House after it marched down O’Connell Street.
Paddy Diver said he was delighted with the size of the crowd.
“I’m so delighted by the turnout today and it sends a strong message to Government that we are not going away.
“We are not going to stop. We are going to get stronger and stronger until we get 100% redress, nothing more and nothing less.
“Micheal Martin needs to know that. He will see the pictures and hear the reports. Unless we get what we want we will continue.
“This is only the start of it if we do not get justice. We can block the M50 or we can block the ports because we have the people behind us,” he said.
After the speeches, the huge crowd crossed the River Liffey and returned up O’Connell Street.
No incidents were reported despite the huge crowd which converged on the capital.