Government battles to secure Independents' backing ahead of eviction ban vote

Darragh O'Brien to adopt Regional Independents' measures as Government tries to ensure it has enough votes tonight

This evening’s motion is not binding and will not stop the planned lifting of the eviction ban. Picture: Government Information Service

Government efforts to secure the backing of Independents are set to go down to the wire ahead of tonight’s eviction ban motion and an even more crucial no-confidence vote next week.

The opposition has said that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien will be remembered as “the minister who deliberately increased homelessness” in pushing ahead with the lifting of the eviction ban.

However, Mr O’Brien strongly hit back, accusing Sinn Féin of “politicising the housing crisis” by tabling a motion to extend the eviction ban.

This evening’s motion is not binding and will not stop the planned lifting of the eviction ban.

Failure to keep a group of eight Independents on-side could have significant consequences for the Government next week after Labour tabled a no-confidence motion.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party had been “left with no choice” given the Government’s refusal to row back on its decision to scrap the eviction moratorium.

While Mr O’Brien has indicated that it will be adopting measures proposed by the Regional Independents, group member Verona Murphy raised strong concerns around a lack of clarity on when their demands will be introduced.

She told the Dáil the group needs to see “unequivocal and immediate” movement on its proposals and said the group requires further engagement with Finance Minister Michael McGrath and Mr O’Brien before they commit their support.

Alleviating measures

Speaking during a debate on the motion last night, Mr O’Brien said the Government is focusing on supplying more homes.

He outlined the measures that the Government is taking in relation to tenants:

• At least 1,500 tenant-in-situ properties will be bought out this year. Local authorities have already been contacted and have been given individual targets to purchase homes currently occupied by HAP tenants if they are being sold;
• Local authorities or approved housing bodies (AHBs) will be able to purchase rental properties where tenants are at risk of homelessness but not on social housing supports to enable them to continue to rent their home. These properties will then be rented back under what has been dubbed a cost-rental backstop;
• Under measures being developed, tenants will be given first right of refusal to buy their homes, by requiring a landlord selling a property to first offer it to the tenant on an independent valuation basis for sale;
• The Croí Cónaithe Vacant Property Grant for derelict buildings will be expanded to include both homes built before 2007 and homes that can then be rented to private tenants. This was among the demands put forward by the Regional Independents group.

Despite these measures, the Government was last night scrambling to ensure it has the numbers to succeed in this afternoon’s vote after Independent TD Violet-Anne Wynne pulled the plug on a deal with minister Helen McEntee, who is on maternity leave.

Ending her vote-pairing arrangement, the Clare TD said: 

“I could not simply stand by and do nothing when every single day I am meeting constituents who are either homeless or one day away from it.”

A spokesperson for chief whip Hildegarde Naughton said: “As is normally the case, where a TD cannot attend the Dáil for votes due to personal reason or on account of official Government business, pairs are sought with members of the opposition.”

The Coalition has already lost Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan, who will be voting with Sinn Féin.

Mr O’Brien said all TDs have a “responsibility” to help resolve the housing crisis and “not to capitalise on it, manipulate it, sow division, block, delay or use any tactic to avoid supporting legislation that will fast-track delivery of the social homes that all of us in Government want”.

Pointing to the 3,400 children who are in emergency accommodation, Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty said the Government has made a “conscious decision” to increase that figure in the days and weeks ahead.