Green Party TD set to side with opposition on motion to reinstate eviction ban

Green party TD Neasa Hourigan said Sinn Féin's motion is "correct" because it was the wrong decision by Government to end the eviction ban with little-to-no contingency plans in place to deal with the increase in homeless presentations. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A Government TD has strongly indicated she will vote with a Sinn Féin motion next week unless the Government urgently brings forward measures to protect tenants from eviction.

Sinn Féin will be seeking the support of independent TDs who normally back the Government in a vote to reinstate the eviction ban until the end of the year.

Green party TD Neasa Hourigan said Sinn Féin's motion is "correct" because it was the wrong decision by Government to end the eviction ban with little-to-no contingency plans in place to deal with the increase in homeless presentations.

In a strong indication as to how she will vote, Ms Hourigan said: 

"I’m sure I’m not the only TD that has received distressing messages from individuals and families in the constituency who, through no fault of their own, are being forced from the place they have called home for many years.

"If the Government wants to ensure the support of its backbenchers, it needs to enact concrete proposals prior to ending any eviction ban. 

"One such proposal should be to urgently bring forward a Bill next week that would protect tenants, who have done nothing wrong, from being evicted when their landlord wishes to sell. We must remove sale as a reason for eviction before the March 31 deadline."

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said an extension of the rent evictions ban until January 2024 is needed to avoid thousands of more people becoming homeless.

Despite it being a non-legally binding motion, Mr Ó Broin said it was designed to “put political pressure” on the Government.

"Whether we have a motion or a bill makes no difference. What matters is pressure on the Government. And it would be wrong of me as the opposition spokesperson on housing, not to try every possible avenue to put pressure on the government to reverse this decision."

Mr Ó Broin’s motion calls on the Government to expand the tenant in situ scheme for both social and affordable cost rental tenants.

It also calls for the Government to use emergency planning and procurement powers to target vacant and derelict buildings and new building technologies to increase the supply of social and affordable homes above existing targets.

However, when asked if he would call on his colleagues to stop objecting to developments, Mr Ó Broin said he would not.

“People have a right to engage in the planning system. There are over 90,000 units with active planning permission across the state. Planning is not the problem,” he said.