Group vows to continue Dublin protest

A growing 'tent town' community of protesters outside the Central Bank in Dublin, will remain in place "as long as it takes", according to one of those involved in the demonstration.

The 'Occupy Dame Street' protest, which began on Saturday, is in solidarity with the 'Occupy Wall Steet' protest which started in New York last month.

By lunchtime today about 20 tents had been erected and were still standing against high winds, having all been tied together, as they cannot be pinned into the concrete surround of the Central Bank

Lee Page (35) from Baldoyle, Dublin, said the precise aims of the protest remained to be worked out, but said he was "with the majority of people in Ireland who are just pissed off with the way things are being run.

"We need to get a fresh conversation going. The wheels have come off capitalism and we have just gone back to the old ways, point scoring in the Dáil. Members of the IMF are in Ireland today setting up their offices to tell the Irish people what to do. It's poisonous what's happening."

Placards and posters erected around the tents have slogans such as "Is this a crime scene?" - referring to the Central Bank - "Troika = Junta" and "Fermoy says 'No' to Bondholder Bailouts".

Mr Page said the 'community' had organised themselves for the long haul, with one tent set aside for food, one as a secure tent for valuables and one for tea and coffee during the day.

"It is pretty cold but we are keeping warm and morale is good. I am feeling better than I have done in month, really energised," said Mr Page.

"I have done everything society has asked of me. I have played by all the rules, got a degree, had my own business and it has wound up, and I am just pissed off at this stage.

"We're taking this day by day and working out our demands, We have an assembly every day at 1 pm and 6 pm and invite anyone, except politicians, to come down and speak with us. We also want anyone who wants to come and join our protest. We will be here as long as it takes."