Updated 14:50
Crowds of people have been gather around the country as part of a national protest over the housing crisis today.
Demonstrations are being held across 13 counties, under the 'Take Back the City' banner.
The largest event kicked off at Dublin's Garden of Remembrance at 1pm, before demonstrators marched down O'Connell Street.
A 'sit down' protest at O'Connell Bridge led to traffic disruption along the quays.
Sit down protest continuing on O’Connell bridge. Buses, taxis and Luas line remain blocked off. Members of #TakeBackTheCity say this disruption is the best way to highlight the homelessness and housing crisis pic.twitter.com/1VT6ybRH6I
— Barry Whyte (@BarryWhyte85) September 22, 2018
Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie
One protester observed she hoped today's demonstrations will "hopefully get people talking and get more collective action".
Several other demonstrations have been taking place across the capital, with other events in towns and cities including Galway, Cork, Waterford and Belfast.
Activists in Dublin say they have also occupied a vacant property in Crumlin to coincide with today's demonstrations.
People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith said: “Activists are challenging the idea that properties can lie vacant in the midst of a housing crisis.
"They recognise that the government’s commitment to the market is providing no real solutions."
Housing crisis
Today's protest at the Garden of Remembrance. Image: Adrian Harmon
Latest figures from the Department of Housing show just under 10,000 people accessed emergency accommodation in July.
Today's protests are also taking place in the wake of a high-profile eviction at North Frederick Street last week.
Photos widely shared on social media showed a number of men dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas entering the building to remove housing activists who had been occupying the vacant property.
Masked gardaí from the Public Order Unit gathered in front of the property while the eviction was being carried out, and a number of demonstrators were arrested.
The incident prompted hundreds of people to take part in a major demonstration that saw several streets in Dublin city centre blocked during the evening rush hour.
Speaking ahead of today's 'national day of action', Aaron from Take Back the City says homelessness is an island-wide problem.
Today's demonstration in Dublin city centre. Photo: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie
He explained: "I think the question of the housing crisis is something that is affecting us all directly or indirectly, and I think it's the issue of the day for most Irish people.
"Day by day there's an ineptitude by the Government to solve this crisis, and it's something that affects all of us."
Organisers of today's demonstrations say they're calling on "grassroots groups, housing activists, and community groups nationwide" to take part.
