A protest in opposition to the continued forced sale of family farms, homes and businesses online is being held in Dublin next week by the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA).
The ICSA is to mount a protest at BidX1, the online property trading platform, for its hosting of such auctions, according to the organisation.
The protest will take place this Monday, November 26, from 12:00pm at the BidX1 offices at Waterloo Exchange, Waterloo Road, Dublin 4.
ICSA rural development chairman Seamus Sherlock commented ahead of the protest.
“The ICSA is calling for the immediate cessation of the sale of distressed properties online for individuals and families who are willing to engage in meaningful discussions.
We know that in some cases those involved don’t even know their homes and properties are being sold.
“These fire sales are a blunt and crude instrument and we are insisting that the practice be stopped,” he said.
The ICSA has invited “all farmers, homeowners and businesses who find themselves dealing with vulture funds” to show their support on Monday.
Farmland lot removed
Last week, farmland in Co. Westmeath which had been up for auction online by a “vulture fund” was not sold, according to the original owner.
The land had been scheduled to be sold last Thursday (November 15) but was removed from the website in question prior to the auction itself.
The original owner, Hugh Reynolds, remains in a state of limbo over the issue.
Speaking to AgriLand, he said: ”It was taken down off the site. It doesn’t go away; I don’t know what the story is – they won’t talk to me.
I keep getting someone to ring them up and all they keep saying is there’s a ‘lack of legal documents’, so whatever that’s about I don’t know.
“Once you give them a bit of publicity they don’t like it. So the only thing I can do is keep battling on.
“There’s a place beside me; a medical centre. It was up today as well and I think it was sold,” Reynolds said.
The Westmeath man had placed an offer to buy the 44ac of land from the company but had been rebuffed.