Sinn Féin to force Dáil vote on eviction ban

Government and Independent TDs tell the 'Irish Examiner' they would support a move to keep the eviction moratorium in place

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald told her party about the bid to renew the eviction ban. File picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

The opposition is set to put the Government under pressure by forcing a vote on the eviction ban. 

A number of Government TDs and Independents who have previously supported the Government have suggested to the Irish Examiner that they may support a Sinn Féin motion.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dáil today that her party would be seeking a Dáil vote on the decision to end the eviction moratorium at the earliest opportunity.

It is likely that this vote will now take place when the Dáil returns after the St Patrick's Day recess.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan, who raised significant concerns over the Government decision to end the ban, has said she will be waiting to see the wording of any motion before making a decision on how she might vote.

She also called on Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien to provide clear and full information on the measures announced earlier this week to help tackle homelessness and support renters.

However, Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman said he didn’t agree with criticism from his colleague Ms Hourigan that Green Party values had not been represented at Cabinet when the decision was taken to lift the eviction ban, despite party leader Eamon Ryan present at the meeting. Mr O'Gorman said: 

I think Green Party principles and Green Party policy is woven into the Government's response on housing.

“I think that's seen in the context of that overall critical need to increase supply and particularly on social housing.

“There was success achieved there last year. And it is seen in the context of building public housing on public land.

“That was something that was very much a key view of the Green Party and it has been secured now on some very major sites around Dublin City and Cork city," Mr O'Gorman said.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan said she will wait to see the wording of the Sinn Féin motion on the eviction ban before deciding if she will vote against the Government. Picture: Damien Storan.

Independent TD Denis Naughten, who has previously supported the Government in votes, said he would be seeking a meeting with Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien ahead of the vote.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry and Independent TD Sean Canney both said they will be waiting to read the text of any opposition motion.

While losing such a vote would be highly embarrassing for the Government, as an opposition motion it would not be binding.

Strongly defending the decision not to extend the eviction ban which has been in place since October, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said there is a “false argument being made” that there is a conflict between the rights of landlords and the rights of renters.

Mr Varadkar said 40,000 landlords have left the market in the last number of years and they haven’t been replaced. He said: 

I do think that there has been a demonisation of landlords, by our political system and by wider society,  over the past number of years.

“That hasn't worked," he added. "In fact, it's caused harm. It's made rents higher, it's made fewer properties available.”

The Taoiseach said the Government has to have regard to that now and “not be afraid” to introduce measures that will encourage landlords to stay in the market.