A resident of Tathony House in Dublin, who is undergoing chemotherapy for lung cancer, is facing eviction along with 35 other tenants as the landlord intends to sell the property. The resident, Gianluca Pollastro, stated that the situation has left him “stressed and desperate” and that there is “nowhere for us to go”, adding that he plans to stay past his eviction date in June. The residents are requesting for the landlord to engage with Dublin City Council to purchase the property through the tenant-in-situ scheme or an approved housing body. They plan on protesting again on April 22 and, according to tenant James O’Toole, defying the eviction if necessary. Councillor Madeleine Johansson, who is also a tenant of Tathony House, described the stress of facing homelessness as “terrifying”. Fr Peter McVerry, who attended a previous Tathony House protest, has called for the eviction ban to be extended “until we can get to grips with the homeless crisis”.
