Campaigners removed from former home of evicted couple

Four men who occupied the former home of evicted couple Martin and Violet Coyne have been removed by gardaí.

The men occupied the house in Luttrell Park Drive in Carpenterstown at 7.45am this morning.

Those occupying the house, who included the Coyne’s son Derek, were removed at 2.45pm by gardaí who entered the house through the back. The four men were taken away in squad cars to Blanchardstown Garda Station.

They are being questioned about an alleged breach of the Public Order Act.

The house was occupied by supporters of The Land League. The league, which styles itself as the successor to the 19th movement that prevented landlords from evicting tenants, says it will now target the homes of chief executives of banks who order evictions.

They carried placards of Charles Stewart Parnell, a champion of the Land League and also hung a green flag with the words 'Irish Republic' out the window.

Mr Coyne (71) and his wife (62) were forcibly removed from the house by baliffs just over two weeks ago.

Damien Gibney from the Meath Anti-Eviction campaign group said their occupation had been a peaceful one and the security guard minding the house agreed to leave. "He shook hands with us and then he left," he said.

“We don’t like seeing pensioners being evicted on the street and being left in legal limbo. That man is sleeping on a coach (Mr Coyne), his wife is sleeping in a box room (Mrs Coyne). It’s an absolute disgrace,” he said.

ACC Bank sought repossession of the home because the landlord, Daragh Ward, went into receivership in 2012 and they want to sell the house to reduce his debt.

The Coynes were the subject of a court order last month allowing the ACC Bank to evict them from their home.

They have a combined weekly income – through Mr Coyne’s State pension – of €363 and are entitled to a rent allowance of €700 a month. The couple is due in court again on October 7th.

Land League founder Jerry Beades said he believed that the Coynes were evicted illegally and that their son Derek should have been allowed to remain in the house.

He warned the Land League will picket the home of ACC chief executive Kevin Knightly if the issue is not resolved.

"This brings to ahead what evictions in Ireland are now about. Some chief executive in the bank has ordered this to happen. We will be visiting his house in the coming days."

He said the couple were only offered the alternative of a house in Cavan and were staying in temporary accommodation. When they returned to their house in Carpenterstown a few days ago, they found that some of their possessions are missing from their home including some power tools.