Taoiseach and Sinn Féin leader clash on eviction ban in 'unedifying' scenes

Mary Lou McDonald said decision 'shows that the Government is not on the side of hard-pressed renters' and lacked 'basic intelligence and cop-on' to not make the housing crisis worse

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald accused the Taoiseach of 'showing up' for investment funds, but not renters, by deciding to let the ban on no-fault evictions lapse at the end of the month.

Leo Varadkar and Mary Lou McDonald clashed on the eviction ban in scenes the Labour leader called "unedifying" on Wednesday.

The Sinn Féin leader had accused the Taoiseach of "showing up" for investment funds, but not renters, by deciding to let the ban on no-fault evictions lapse at the end of the month.

Ms McDonald said the decision "shows that the Government is not on the side of hard-pressed renters" and lacked "basic intelligence and cop-on" to not make the housing crisis worse.

"Responsibility for this emergency lies fairly and squarely at the feet of you and your Government.

"You see the choice here is between having a roof over your head or not having rent that you can afford or not having a Government that will actually stand up and defend renters or not having a Government without the basic intelligence and cop-on to know that you don't create more uncertainty for renters at a time when supply is tight. 

"And rents are so high and people are afraid now. There are working families who are afraid of what lies ahead."

In response, the Taoiseach said the Government needed to "stem the flow" of landlords leaving the rental market, with more than 40,000 having left the sector in recent years.

"We've seen over 40,000 small landlords leave the market and very few have entered. There will always be a certain number entering and leaving, but we need now to stem the flow of small landlords, in particular, leaving the market and increase the flow of new landlords coming in. 

"We won't be able to turn this around unless we do that. And that's why, deputy, you see the long queues anywhere, anytime a property is put available for rent to see long queues of people hoping to view it, hoping that that can be the place that they can call home."

Mr Varadkar reacted to what he said was Sinn Féin TDs shouting him down, to which Ms McDonald could be heard saying "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" and "no one is shouting you down, Leo, relax". 

He said that Sinn Féin had created a "strawman" and a "false narrative" and later raised a point of order, claiming Sinn Féin "is unable to handle honest debate" and that the party used its vote share in the 2020 general election to "shout everyone else down".

Ms Bacik, whose contribution was delayed by the spat, said it was "a good thing we live in a democracy" and could choose other parties and that the scenes were "unedifying".