SQUATTERS AT A building in Grangegorman in Dublin have welcomed what they describe as “victory” after an attempted eviction.
Security company LAS Security attended the site yesterday with a letter telling the squatters that they had to leave. However the squatters refused to vacate the property.
About 30 people are squatting on the site.
Yesterday and into last night, there was a garda presence at the vacant building, including a garda helicopter.
Gardaí said they have no plans to go to the property today.
A widely-shared video showed gardaí and individuals tussling at a fence.
The squatters said in a statement that “a large section of the complex which included studio spaces, warehouses and community gardens” was fenced off yesterday.
The 30 residents with supporters and neighbours resisted the whole day from 6.30am.
They said that security were due to stay to secure the compound, but residents locked and occupied the two main gates.
After some hours, the residents said they were able to negotiate that if all LAS workers, including the security, left then the crowd would let the trucks past.
They added:
The space is the communities [sic] once more though they are prepared to resist again… This is a great victory for the whole community.
NAMA does not own the building, a spokesperson for NAMA said. The receivers of the building have been contacted by TheJournal.ie for comment.
Squatting in Ireland
In Ireland, ‘squatter’s rights’ is known as ‘adverse possession’.
A person must be on the land for 12 years before they can claim ‘squatter’s rights’.
As we explained in a former article:
Adverse possession is a means by which an individual takes possession of a property, for a designated period of time, with the expressed intention of excluding all others including the true owner.If a squatter enjoys adverse and exclusive possession of the land for twelve years, then he or she may oust that owner and gain title.
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