Protesters from the Tintéain, Banú and other Gaeltacht housing campaign groups took part in a rally outside Leinster House this afternoon to highlight concerns about the growing housing crisis in the Gaeltacht.
They said young people are finding it difficult to rent, build or buy houses in the Gaeltacht, and they are being forced to leave the Gaeltacht, putting their future and the future of the language in a precarious position.
Sinn Féin will bring a private members motion on the Gaeltacht housing crisis to the Dáil this evening, with a vote on the motion to be taken tomorrow.
'What happened in Wexford is unacceptable'
Meanwhile, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has told the Dáil that it is "a matter of very serious concern that a landlord would behave in this manner" and serve 36 eviction notices in a single Wexford estate.
Last week, 36 households in the Hazelwood estate in Bridgetown, Co Wexford received a notice of termination of tenancy from their landlord.
Mr Martin noted that Minister for Housing James Browne had been in touch with the Residential Tenancies Board but added: "I haven't seen the report back from the RTB yet."
"What happened in Wexford is unacceptable."
He was responding to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said that "people feel that their landlord is taking advantage of your new rules" on rented accommodation.
She said that the "reported 37 families" in Hazelwood, Bridgetown, facing eviction are panicked, stressed and worried.
"Big talk from the minister won't keep these families in their homes," she added, demanding "concrete action".
Mr Martin said the Government wants "to ensure that the impact of tenants rights are protected".
Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said that "in excess of 100 people" are being evicted, "including many children".
Fear is being unleashed on tenants by new Government rules, she said, adding that they are so complex that the minister was unable to respond to the development until he had consulted with civil servants.
