Council calls for eviction ban to be reinstated

DEBATE ‘Landlords are in trouble too’ - Cllr T.P. Smith

Cavan County Council is calling on the government to reinstate the ‘no fault’ eviction ban, which was removed at the end of last month. The motion, proposed by Sinn Féin Councillor, Paddy McDonald, passed at the April meeting of the local authority without a vote, but not without some controversy.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr McDonald stated there is a “serious issue” coming for thousands of households across the country who have eviction dates looming.

He is calling for the eviction ban to be extended “until the end of the year”, giving families a chance to arrange alternative accommodation.

The Bailieborough man also believes this will give the government a chance to make additional social and affordable homes available.

Supporting the motion, Aontú Councillor Sarah O’Reilly, described the end to the eviction ban as “horrendous”.

She said many families had already approached her expressing fears of being made homeless and, while she did everything in her power to find alternative accommodation for them, there was none available.

“I can’t get them any help, there’s absolutely nothing out there,” said a frustrated Cllr O’Reilly.

“When we look at the homeless statistics, the cost-of-living crisis, electricity bills etc and then we look at the consequences of the decision to lift the eviction ban, it is horrendous and it leaves people like us, representatives, elected to represent the people, feeling absolutely hopeless, frustrated and sad.”

Cllr O’Reilly highlighted how 112 households presented as ‘homeless’ to Cavan County Council in 2022, compared with 72 in 2021 – an increase of 40 households.

Of those, 22 households were provided with emergency accommodation by the local authority.

“The question must be asked, where are the other 90 households? Where did they go? Are we following up with them? Have they moved in with friends, family, are there three generations of families couch surfing?”

Cllr O’Reilly says the impact of the removal of the ban is already being felt. She referred to a couple in their 60s who are facing eviction.

“I am seeing the effect already and it is heart-breaking, I have a couple in their 60s served with a notice to quit.”

In response, Fine Gael Councillor TP O’Reilly stated that his colleagues were only conveying one side of the argument and accusing them of playing “political football”.

“Everyone should be taken into account. Landlords are in trouble too,” he says, highlighting how some are in “negative equity” due to tenants not paying their rent.

“Some landlords haven’t received a payment in 18 months. There are two sides to every story, four legs to every chair.”

Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley stated that he also is “very well aware of tenants not paying their rent” and that the Residential Tenancies Board (RBT) “is not a satisfactory system”.

Fellow party member, Patricia Walsh joined in on the debate stating that “young couples are paying colossal money in rent,” which she considered “money down the drain”.

She stated these people are not able to qualify for a mortgage, yet before long have paid €100,000 in rent.

In response, Cllr Paddy McDonald protested stating “I didn’t say nothing wasn’t being done,” and that he was not using the issue to “play political football”.

He believes that people paying €2,000 euro a month to rent a “box room” is “completely unjustified”.

“It’s not fair that people are living at home with their parents.”

He requested permission to conduct a vote to see which councillors were in support of the motion and which were against.

Cllr Feeley responded stating that, while some members of the meeting protested the way in which Cllr McDonald voiced the motion, no one actually objected to it. Therefore he did not see reason for a vote to take place.

The Council agreed to oppose lifting the no fault eviction ban and write to the Minister for Housing on the issue.