‘Cruel and heartless’: Decision to end evictions ban condemned by Opposition and campaigners

Housing campaigners have said the Government’s decision not to extend the evictions ban will result in higher levels of homelessness, while Opposition parties have fiercely condemned the move.

The leaders of the three Government parties and Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien decided late last night not to extend the ban on evictions, meaning it will lapse at the end of March, though many tenants will continue to be protected against eviction for some months because of notice periods.

The decision is likely to be approved by the Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday morning.

The chief executive of Threshold, John-Mark McCafferty, said he understood the decision was “a delicate balance” and a “difficult decision”. But he said the “ending of the eviction ban in March will mean increased homelessness in the short term”.

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“We know there are few options in the housing market for families and individuals who are threatened with termination. They’re worried about losing their home,” he said.

“The problem is there is very few places or nowhere for them to go in terms of the wider housing market. And we’re also very much aware of the problems at local authority level in terms of emergency accommodation, which is the kind that’s supposed to be the safety net where families and individuals turn to when there are no more housing options out there. And so I guess my question is to Government is what can we advise people and families about those options?”

Mr McCafferty acknowledged the ban stored up problems for the future and said it was “not a panacea”. However, he said, the situation would have been worse without it.

The Government is bracing itself for a storm of criticism in the wake of the decision.

[ Inside Politics newsletter: Coalition had no good options on evictions ban ]

Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin said the ending of the ban was “cruel and heartless”. He warned that the move would increase homelessness, and that people who had to leave their rented accommodation would find that emergency accommodation was full.

“Which means either we will have an increase in rough sleeping or we’d be back to 2018, where because of Tusla rules, families with children who aren’t able to access emergency accommodation will be referred to Garda stations to sleep at night,” Mr Ó Broin said.

Social Democrats housing spokesman Cian O’Callaghan said the decision “will result in thousands of households being evicted with many of them ending up homeless”.

“In most European countries tenants who are up to date with their rent payments cannot be evicted,” he said. “Ireland is in a unique position of having some of the highest rents in Europe and some of the lowest levels of protections for renters.”