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IrelandHealthOverlooked from the left3 days ago

Keep eviction ban as option to tackle homelessness, report says, but coalition leaders say no

A new Oireachtas Housing Committee report recommends that the Irish government consider implementing an emergency eviction ban to alleviate the growing homelessness crisis. The report emphasizes the need for an immediate response and suggests keeping such a measure under continuous review. However, the current coalition leaders, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, have rejected the proposal, arguing that eviction bans could reduce housing supply and deter investment. They stated their focus is on increasing housing availability rather than implementing restrictive measures.

The two coalition leaders said they don't think eviction bans work. Alamy

Housing Crisis

The Tánaiste said a new child and family homeless strategy will go to cabinet in the coming weeks.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD consider an emergency eviction ban for a defined period of time to take the pressure off existing emergency homeless services, a new Oireachtas Housing Committee report has recommended.

The committee of 14 members, eight of which are government members, calls for an emergency response to the homelessness crisis and describes a “deep concern” at the rising numbers in homelessness.

It said an eviction ban should be kept under constant review by this government, alongside an emergency package of measures.

However, speaking in Brussels today where he is attending an EU Council meeting, the Taoiseach dismissed the suggestion, stating that an eviction ban would only suppress supply.

Micheál Martin said it would be the wrong policy to pursue as it would discourage investment.

He added that the policies being pursued by the government aims to increase supply, not depress it.

“That is the urgent imperative. So we don’t want to take measures that, in our judgment, would suppress supply,” he said.

Tánaiste Simon Harris said it is a “considered view of government that when this has happened in the past, it hasn’t had the effect that people hoped it would actually have”.

He said the government has brought in a number of protections for tenants.

“The key focus of the government remains increasing supply, and we see some encouraging data in relation to that,” he said.

The report also makes a number of recommendations around child and family homelessness. Harris said the government is actively considering the issue, stating that a new plan on child and family homelessness will be brought to cabinet by Housing Minister James Browne to before the summer recess.

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Source document: Oireachtas Housing Committee Report

1 reports

TheJournal.ieIndependentRight3 days ago
Keep eviction ban as option to tackle homelessness, report says, but coalition leaders say no

A new Oireachtas Housing Committee report recommends that the Irish government consider implementing an emergency eviction ban to alleviate the growing homelessness crisis. The report emphasizes the need for an immediate response and suggests keeping such a measure under continuous review. However, the current coalition leaders, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, have rejected the proposal, arguing that eviction bans could reduce housing supply and deter investment. They stated their focus is on increasing housing availability rather than implementing restrictive measures.

Bias read (Right): The article presents the government's rejection of an eviction ban as a policy choice based on concerns about housing supply and investment. The framing emphasizes the government’s stance against eviction bans, suggesting that such measures are ineffective or counterproductive. The report itself is

Official sources cited

  • government Oireachtas Housing Committee Report
  • government Taoiseach Micheál Martin's Statement
  • government Tánaiste Simon Harris's Statement

Go to the primary sources (3)

The official sources this coverage is built on. Read them directly to bypass framing.

  • governmentOireachtas Housing Committee Report
  • governmentTaoiseach Micheál Martin's Statement
  • governmentTánaiste Simon Harris's Statement