Concern over Government step to end ban on evictions

Cian O'Callaghan is calling on the Housing Minister to change a Bill going through the Dáil next week which will remove protections for most renters. Picture: PA

Concern is being raised over the Government step to end the ban on evictions and rent increases at the start of August.

Last week, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien said the moratorium on rent freezes and the bank on evictions would be extended until August 1.

Social Democrat TD Cian O'Callaghan says most tenants will be affected by the move, but there are some exceptions.

He is calling on the Housing Minister to change a Bill going through the Dáil next week which will remove protections for most renters.

Mr O'Callaghan says a two-tier system is the wrong approach.

“If a tenant is able to make a declaration that they’ve been in receipt of a Covid-19 payment from the state, then they’ll have some form of additional protection,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

“But it’s quite a complex system. I don’t think it’s really workable.

I think introducing this kind of two-tier treatment is going to be confusing for tenants and for landlords.

“Really we’re saying the Minister needs to look at this again.” 

Mr O’Callaghan said he will be tabling amendments to the Bill “to put in place long-term measures to improve security of tenure for tenants in the private rented sector”.

Meanwhile, Labour says the Help To Buy scheme increase should be scrapped.

Senator Rebecca Moynahan says new house prices are up suddenly by up to €10,000, following the July stimulus changes.

The scheme is part of the July stimulus package and offers first-time buyers a tax rebate of up to €30,000, as opposed to €20,000 previously.

Ms Moynahan says the Government move to increase the tax rebate for first-time buyers makes new housing more unaffordable.

She says the scheme is only going to push up house prices.

“I think the only effect that the Help to Buy scheme is going to have is that it’s going to increase house prices.

“You’re just putting money directly from the Government into developers.

“I don’t think it’s actually going to help people get off on the property market and one of the things that wasn’t in the July stimulus was help for renters.

“We already know from research done by the ERSI that 40% of people who avail of the Help to Buy scheme already have a deposit.”