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A chairde,

Spring has sprung and we’ve got some exciting launches to share.

Firstly, a brand new evictions database is now live via www.topevictors.ie 

The database is the product of months of incredible work by our evictions database working group - huge kudos to them for reaching this milestone.

The website uses RTB data to provide maps of 353 officially recorded illegal evictions and thousands of legal evictions in Ireland between 2015 and 2024 and profiles the most prolific evictors.

This information is now at your fingertips, so you can see how the lives of tenants and communities have been impacted by the greed of landlords who treat your home as their investment opportunity. Knowing who these landlords are, and how they use both illegal and legal evictions as a way to make profit, is vital for organising effectively and making our voices heard.

We’re also looking to compile a list of CATU members who have been or are currently being evicted (legally or illegally) who would be willing to speak to journalists about their experiences if and when we get inquiries from the media. Are you someone who wants to build information and solidarity around the impact any and all evictions have on lives and communities? Would you like to sign up to share your experience with journalists? If so, drop a message to [email protected] and I’ll put you in touch with the group.

Make sure to check the new website out and share widely!

Sticking with the launch theme, the newly assembled citywide Dublin branch had its first get-together on Saturday, with a strong turnout, an oversight committee elected and future actions set in motion. This new structure will foster tighter collaboration between Dublin’s branches and enhance our campaigning capabilities in the city.

The launch was followed by a fundraiser/social which managed to raise around €1200 between admissions and merch sales! Fair play to the Liberties-Rialto branch for organising the event and to the performers for making the night such a success.

Not to be outdone by their Big Smoke counterparts, the CATU Galway crew pulled off a hugely successful event of their own via their 'Break Up With AirBnb’ theme. Approximately €1500 was raised over the course of the day, which will be a huge boost to the branch’s campaign targeting AirBnB and touristification in the city. Huge congrats to the branch, event performers and everyone else who contributed.

The aforementioned campaign is now live and will be focusing on:

- Reporting illegal short-term lets
- Pressuring the government to impose a cap on short-term lets
- Demanding the introduction of the Short Term Tourist Letting Register

& much more besides.

If you’re in Galway and would like to get stuck in, contact [email protected] or [email protected] 

Hot on the heels of their AGM last weekend, CATU Belfast are running a training day this Saturday in Redeemer Central, 101 Donegall Street, from 15:00 to 17:00.

They will be running two separate trainings concurrently: our Member Defence Training and a new Comms Training.

If you're interested in getting more involved on the union or want to put some of your skills to use, head along to the Member Defence Training and learn how we protect our members. empower each other, and win results.

For those interested in learning how to run social media, speak to the media, and keep fellow members informed, join us for the Comms Training.

Later that evening, in the same venue, there’ll be a special film screening of Pride (2014), chosen in honour of Portrush-reared Mark Ashton, whose impulse for solidarity led to the creation of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners during London's Lesbian and Gay Pride in 1984.

Ashton's politics were rooted in class struggle and driven by solidarity for all those suffering at the hands of a state intent on maximising profits and crushing dissent. This film shows us that by extending the hand of friendship, and building real networks of solidarity, we have the power to stand up to the rotten system that oppresses us.

There’s a suggested donation of £5 for the film, proceeds of which will go back into ongoing organising work locally.

Following on from last year’s survey of trade union members in CATU, the forum that followed and our more recent Ard Fhéis motion to build partnerships with Trade Unions, we’re hoping to bring CATU members who are in trade unions together to progress work in this area.

To do this, we’ve set up a new WhatsApp group where we can make plans to progress ideas further. We plan to meet in the coming weeks. If you are a member of any Trade Union in Ireland, this is something you might be interested in! Join the WhatsApp group here: CATU Trade Union WhatsApp Group

CATU Mountjoy-Dorset are running an anti-eviction doorknock on Saturday at 13:00, meeting in Mountjoy Square Park.

This is in response to invalid eviction notices that were served on a group of residents locally, courtesy of their vulture fund landlord. Despite appealing this with the RTB, the landlord has been allowed to serve another invalid notice. As a result, residents of 9 years were given only 28 days to vacate - which is obviously outrageous.

If you’re in the area, join the doorknock and help push back against the Vestry Vultures!

CATU Sligo-Leitrim are the latest branch to host a screening of the Rent Strike documentary - they’ll be doing so in The Nest on Custom House Quay in Sligo on Sunday, March 16th at 14:00.

You can pick up advance tickets HERE or on the door on the day itself.

Lastly for today, our Regional Forum Roadshow will be rolling into Connacht, Leinster and Munster over the coming weeks - more news to follow in next week’s newsletter but in the meantime you should be able to find details in your local WhatsApp group.

In Solidarity,

Naoise Faogáin
National Administrator
Community Action Tenants Union - CATU Ireland
www.catuireland.org