Q&A: What can we expect from Dáil vote on the eviction ban?

Losing the vote will mean a severe embarrassment for the coalition

Aoife Coleman with her son Adam Burton Coleman, from Drumcondra, during a housing eviction protest at Leinster House on Kildare Street, Dublin. Picture: Gareth Chaney/ Collins Photos

What does the eviction ban vote mean?

A motion to extend the eviction moratorium until the start of next year has kept the Government's controversial decision to lift the ban firmly in the spotlight.

Already Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan has jumped ship and will be voting against the Government on Wednesday evening. 

Others, including fellow Green Party TD Patrick Costello and Independent TnaDs who have previously supported the Government, have found themselves under pressure ahead of the Dáil vote.

In response to Sinn Féin's motion, the Government has put forward its own counter-motion, which highlights the actions that are being taken to support both tenants and landlords.

However, even if the Government loses the vote, in reality it will amount to nothing as opposition motions are not binding. 

It would of course be a severe embarrassment for the coalition.

What are the numbers looking like?

The loss of Ms Hourigan means the Government’s numbers are down to 80, leaving it with an official majority of just one TD. 

But of course, one vote is all that is needed.

Sinn Féin would therefore need more TDs on the Government benches to side with them to win the vote.

However, it's not quite as simple as that as the Coalition frequently receives support from a number of Independent TDs, such as Michael Lowry, Denis Naughten and on occasion Sean Canney, the Healy-Raes, Verona Murphy, and others.

The Government still had a margin of six when it came to the mica redress scheme last year, which was the tightest vote so far during this Government.

Former education minister and Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh, who lost the party whip after he voted down the mica scheme, has indicated that he will not be siding with Sinn Féin this time around.

What has the Government done to keep backbenchers and Independents on side?

The three coalition leaders met on Monday night to thrash out the wording of a counter-motion that was then signed off on by the Cabinet on Tuesday morning.

The counter-motion mainly points to the measures which the Government is working on to protect tenants if the landlord decides to sell up.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has also indicated that there will be a tax package in the budget for small landlords, and that will take effect this year to encourage them to enter and to stay in the sector.

"This was after consultations with our parliamentary party and some of the Independent groups," he told the Dáil.

Mr Varadkar also confirmed that a number of demands which had been put forward by the Technical Group of Independents will be accepted.

Among these is the extension of the Croí Cónaithe refurbishment grant scheme for people who are doing up derelict properties for the purpose of renting them and those built prior to 2007.

Separately if people rent out rooms in their houses, it will not affect their social welfare entitlements or their medical card entitlement which had also been among the asks set down by the group.

What is the Government doing for renters?

The Government has said it will introduce a "safety net" for at-risk renters from April 1 when the eviction moratorium is lifted.

The range of proposals includes a measure that would see councils purchase homes currently occupied by HAP tenants.

This would effectively convert those private rental properties into social housing as part of an expanded “tenant-in-situ” scheme. 

For those not in receipt of State supports but at risk of homelessness, a local Approved Housing Body (AHB) or council will be able to purchase the home and rent it to them on a “cost rental” or not-for-profit basis.

This has been dubbed a cost-rental backstop.

The ABH or local authorities will step in if a tenant can't afford to buy the home themselves and this will be operated on an administrative basis from April 1 until legislation is passed.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the measures will mean that there is "no gap" between the unwinding of the evictions ban and the introduction of what he described as "innovative measures to increase and improve tenants' rights".

What does the first refusal measure mean?

For those tenants who are in a position to purchase their rental home if it goes up for sale, a third option will be available.

They will be given first refusal on buying their home and can apply for the State-backed shared equity scheme which will reduce the up-front cost of purchase by up to 30%. 

Alternatively, they can apply for the local authority home loan, a subsidised mortgage targeted at low and middle-income households.

However, it is expected that this measure will take longer to implement.

Department of Housing officials are currently working with the Attorney General on this measure, and it is hoped that legislation will be drafted and through the houses before the Dáil rises in July.