Sir, – How refreshing to read Sally Rooney’s take on the housing crisis (“Renters are being exploited and evictions must be stopped”, Weekend Review, March 18th). She correctly identifies the crux of the issue, the imbalance in protections afforded to landlords over those of tenants. I can completely understand the economic logic behind small private landlords currently leaving the market, and as Sally Rooney highlights, removing the eviction ban is in all likelihood going to accelerate these departures.
The Government has shown its hand in exposing vulnerable tenants to no fault evictions. The market, dysfunctional as it is, must be protected for landlords and low corporate tax paying investors.
As Sally Rooney outlines, the only sustainable model is the state becoming the landlord and provider of quality, affordable accommodation for those not yet able to purchase their own homes. Unfortunately this is an anathema to the political philosophy of the majority of TDs within Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, who are wedded naively to neoliberalism.
We need to dial down the extreme commodification of living spaces and ensure all of our citizens have the security of a place called home.
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It is not only a human right but should be a real measure of the freedom of a society. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock,
Cork.
