Campaigner ends Thursday protest at Dáil after 200 weeks
Homelessness campaigner Martin Leahy has brought the curtain down on his Thursday protest outside Leinster House after 200 weeks.
The Cork musician has sung his song entitled 'Everyone should have a home' at the gates of the national parliament each Thursday lunchtime for the last four years.
Today politicians, campaigners and fellow musicians paid tribute to his consistent efforts which has seen him travel from west Cork to Dublin every week to sing for one hour.
Asked to sum up his emotions on the last day of his protest, Mr Leahy said he felt "angry and frustrated that any of us have to do anything like this, but at the same time, it's been a very enriching kind of experience, meeting all the community around housing and meeting the people who are refusing to accept this housing crisis as part of life here".
Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said Mr Leahy was owed a debt of gratitude for his dignified and compassionate protest.
He urged those gathered outside Leinster House today to keep campaigning in order to honour the work of Mr Leahy.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that if the effort of Martin Leahy was replicated by 100,000 more people, it would solve the housing crisis.
