Aontú has tabled what the party describe as a “humane, common sense” amendment to the Government’s counter motion on the eviction ban with the intention of triggering a vote in the chamber today.
It comes as the Government will vote on ending the no-fault eviction ban, with a vote in favour of ending the ban anticipated later today. It comes as Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien last night signalled in the Dáil that the Coalition will accept the Regional Independent Group’s amendments on its counter motion.
The eviction ban, which was introduced in October last year, is set to expire on 31 March. Opponents of the ending of the ban say that without the protection afforded in law, thousands of households may face being served with eviction notices by landlords. The scheme, introduced last year, was aimed at putting a stop to landlords selling properties and leaving people homeless over winter.
Speaking last night, Aontú leader and Meath West TD, Peadar Tóibín, said that the party’s amendment would protect the most vulnerable:
“Our Aontú amendment seeks to inject compassion into the government’s proposals. Our amendment seeks to offer specific protections against eviction for people who have a disability, or who are suffering from cancer or another severe illness, and also for tenants who are pregnant or who have given birth to a child within the last three years and people aged over 65 years.
“The reality is that there are many local authorities around the country where there is not a single available emergency homeless accommodation bed. There is now a real likelihood that, with the lifting of the ban, young families, children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, old age pensioners or cancer patients could be turfed out onto the streets with nowhere to go”.
Mr Tóibín said that the party acknowledged that the eviction ban, which was put in place from 30 October 2022 to 31 March 2022, was only ever a temporary measure.
“We in Aontú accept that the eviction ban was only a temporary measure,” the Meath TD said, “But the problem is that the government has done nothing to prepare for what will happen to people facing eviction now that the ban has been lifted.
“There is simply no alternative accommodation in place for hundreds of people who will lose their homes in this context. Many of these people are already dealing with hugely challenging circumstances. Many of these people will be evicted into a humanitarian crisis.” he said.
“In this emergency situation we cannot support the lifting of the ban until the appropriate groundwork has been done. Aontú opposes the lifting of the Eviction Ban at this time. Our amendment to the Government amendment will come to a vote tomorrow and I sincerely hope that government TDs use it as an opportunity to mitigate some of the worst fears people have about the lifting of the ban and the potentially disastrous consequences it will have”.
“I implore backbenchers in Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party to support this very basic, humane common sense amendment”.
The party leader said that politicians must “be true to their constituents” regarding the issue, adding that it is also a matter of conscience.
Speaking last night, the TD said: “If [politicians] wish to vote against my amendment [tonight] then they’d better be prepared to answer the question that many vulnerable people around the country are asking themselves today – “when I’m evicted, where will I go?”.
He described the homelessness crisis in Ireland as a “national scandal,” adding that specific protections for the most vulnerable are needed.
“I don’t think the government fully comprehends the enormity of what could happen here in the coming weeks. Almost 400 people died while homeless in Dublin over the past five years. This is a national scandal. We need specific protections for people who are struggling with young children, who are pregnant, who are fighting a terminal or chronic illness, people who have a disability and people who are elderly. Surely we can all agree that people in those situations shouldn’t be evicted? Aontú will spend today lobbying other TDs from other parties to support our amendment”, Mr Tóibín said.
Meanwhile, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is standing over the Government’s lifting of the eviction ban, and has said it is the “correct” decision. There will be a series of Dáil votes this afternoon.
Speaking ahead of a vote on a Sinn Féin motion to extend the eviction moratorium, Mr O’Brien accused the party of “politicising” the housing crisis. Speaking last night, he said increasing the supply of housing is the “crux of everything” when it comes to addressing the lack of affordable housing, but insisted that leaving the ban in place would not do that.
The Housing Minister stated that the long-term solution to our rental market is more supply which is something we are already seeing, with 30,000 new homes completed, an increase of 45.2 per cent on 2021.