Councils sought 56 eviction orders last year, figures show

Local authorities battling antisocial behaviour in their estates sought 56 eviction warrants and 32 exclusion orders last year, figures show.

Out of those, 15 families were actually ejected from their homes and 22 exclusion orders were granted.

Figures compiled by the Department of Environment show the highest number of evictions sought in 2011 were from South Dublin County Council (12) and followed by Limerick City Council (10). Laois County Council had the third highest number, with six eviction applications.

Cork City Council was the only city council where no evictions or exclusion orders were sought, the figures show. Furthermore, none of the three Cork County Council housing administration areas had sought either of the sanctions in 2011, but that was common among county councils.

The figures, published by Jan O’Sullivan, the housing minister, show 23 of the 43 county, town, and city councils sought either or both eviction orders and exclusion orders in 2011.

Where eviction orders eject all the occupants of a house, exclusions orders are targeted at specific individuals, such as a troublesome son within a household.

The details were released to Barry Cowen, TD for Laois-Offaly. They show:

* South Dublin County Council: 12 eviction warrants sought, none executed, five exclusion orders sought and five executed.

* Limerick City Council: 10 evictions sought, six executed, one exclusion order sought and one executed.

* Laois County Council: Six evictions sought, five executed and no exclusion orders sought.

* Dublin City Council: Three evictions sought, one executed, seven exclusion orders sought and two executed.

Galway city and county councils sought three eviction orders each, but none executed.

Bray Town Council, Longford County Council, and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown sought three eviction orders each, but none were executed.