Government may lose support of Independents in vote on eviction ban motion

Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin has contacted all opposition groups and Independent TDs to drum up support for his Dáil motion

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin contacted Independents for support. Picture: Stephen Collins

The Government could lose the support of previously loyal Independent TDs in a vote on a Sinn Féin eviction ban motion next week.

Leo Varadkar's Government has come under sustained pressure and criticism after deciding not to extend the winter eviction moratorium beyond next month.

Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has contacted all of the opposition parties and groups as well as Independent TDs in a bid to drum up support for his motion which is due to be debated next Tuesday.

Former Fine Gael minister Joe McHugh said he will be waiting to see what counter-motion the Government produces before deciding.

Independent TDs Cathal Berry, Seán Canney, and Verona Murphy have all said they will be making a decision ahead of next week's vote.

Independent TD Matt Shanahan said he has concerns around the lack of alternative accommodation for people who are evicted, but on the other side of the argument is also worried about private landlords fleeing the market.

"I debated a question I laid with the finance minister in the Dáil last week where I asked him what steps his department was considering in terms of trying to stem the exodus of landlords from the private rental sector," he said.

"I offered a number of possible and easily-implementable finance changes that could potentially stem the exit of private and accidental landlords."

However, Mr Shanahan said the minister "was not minded to implement anything at this time" and instead pointed to tax measures that might be introduced as part of the budget later this year.

I would have thought the Government would be keen to implement supportive politics to a stressed market sector whose action may have significant social and political consequences with the lifting of the eviction ban.

"At this point, I don't see evidence of this but perhaps the Government is considering something before the Dáil vote next week," he said.

Clare TD Michael McNamara said he has put down his own amendments to the Sinn Féin motion which would ensure owners could move back into their property during an eviction moratorium period. He suggested that he would be willing to support the opposition motion if his amendments are accepted, but there is no certainty that the changes will be adopted.

A number of Government backbenchers including Green Party TDs Neasa Hourigan and Patrick Costello, as well as Fianna Fáil's John McGuinness, have also criticised the move.