Martin rejects ‘outrageous’ suggestion that evictions data suppressed

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has rejected any suggestion the Government suppressed or delayed the publication of data from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) on “notices to quit”.

Asked about reports that the RTB had shared preliminary data on eviction notices with officials in the Department of Housing prior to publishing the figures, Micheál Martin said it was outrageous to suggest the Government requested that the publication of the data be delayed until after it announced its decision to end the eviction ban at the end of March.

Speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting, Mr Martin said much of the debate had missed the point that the eviction ban was never going to be a permanent measure.

“The advice has been consistent. Maintaining the eviction ban would cause more harm than good and exacerbate the situation in relation to homelessness,” he said.

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“Nobody in the Opposition has said they would favour a definite eviction ban. [The debate has been] down to parties arguing over six months.”

Mr Martin said the Government had put measures in place to prevent a spike in homelessness including the tenant-in-situ scheme.

He also said there was a misconception that an eviction notice translated into an actual eviction.

“That is necessarily the case,” he said.

“We need a bit of balance and I am not sure we are getting it,” Mr Martin said. “No political party has said to me we should have an indefinite eviction ban.”

The Government last month decided not to extend a ban on so-called no-fault evictions beyond March 31st, having put the ban in place on October 30th last year.

The measure prevented landlords from evicting people, even if they could be issued with a valid notice of termination. The decision to end the ban has been harshly criticised by Opposition politicians and housing charities.

Mr Martin also said he welcome the Garda investigation into allegations of assault and sexual assault ion the Defence Forces.

He said it showed there would be “no tolerance of sexual assault” in the forces.

The Tánaiste, who is Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, said he continued to work with the Attorney General in relation to establishing a statutory inquiry and appointing a chairperson.

He pointed out, however, that ongoing criminal cases presented a challenge in that regard.

Mr Martin said he had moved immediately to establish an external oversight body of the Defence Forces.

It would be charged by Prof Briain Mac Craith and include among its members former head of the Revenue Commissioners Josephine Fehily; former Ictu secretary general Patricia King; and former senior civil servant Julie Sinnamon.

“The quality of those we have elected is evidence of how seriously we are taking this issue,” he said.

In further comments, Mr Martin said that the debate on Ireland’s future foreign and defence policies – in addition to an assessment of the State’s long-held policy on neutrality – would be “respectful and evidence-based”.

Mr Martin said consultative meetings with the public would be held in Dublin, Cork and Galway during the summer. He said three meeting would be held in June: one in UCC, one in the University of Galway and the final one in Dublin Castle.

Mr Martin said the process would be chaired by Prof Louise Richardson, former vice chancellor of the University of Oxford.

He said the discussion would include new phenomena in terms of defence policy such as cyber security, hybrid threats and the risks posed to critical infrastructure (by hostile actors).

Mr Martin said issues pertaining to the present ‘triple-lock’ mechanism for peace enforcement would also be reviewed.

The triple lock requires any involvement by the Irish military to come only after approval by the UN, by the Government and by the Oireachtas.