GREEN PARTY LEADER Eamon Ryan has defended his party’s decision to suspend Neasa Hourigan after she voted against the government’s motion not to extend the eviction ban.

Speaking on On the Record with Gavan Reilly, Ryan also said that ending the eviction ban was the right thing to do, “as difficult as it is”.

Ryan was asked how the government reconciled this with the fact that homelessness was likely to spike.

“Well you can’t be absolutely certain, it’s complicated and our housing situation is particularly complicated and challenging and difficult at this moment in time. But I think there was a real risk.”

“Firstly, none of the main opposition parties were saying you continue the eviction ban for forever and a day because they realize that would undermine the rental market,” the minister said.

Under measures announced by the government last month, tenants will be asked if they want to buy a property before being evicted while local authorities could buy a property and rent it back to tenants.

Ryan was told by Reilly that tenants had contacted the Virgin Media Newsroom to say that their local authorities weren’t aware of the tenant in situ scheme.

“The housing minister Darragh O’Brien has been in touch with every local authority has set up a special team within his department to make sure everyone is fully informed and behind the approach,” he replied.

“Other countries have introduced it. We’re not the first to do it, France and others have done it. There are complexities initially as in any such system, but I believe it is a significant improvement in rental rights in this country.”

“It has to be introduced quickly. You’d prefer to have had several more months. But we are going to introduce it and make sure it does work. In the end, in the long run, it’s going to be the the best protection against eviction.”

Two weeks ago Green TD Neasa Hourigan was hit with a 15 month suspension after voting against the government’s motion on the ending of the eviction ban. 

“It is very unfortunate, because Neasa’s highly talented, highly capable, a very valued part of our team. But we do have a very strong position in government and the strength of that comes with everyone voting together, because that gives you the real strength of argument when it comes to negotiations.

When asked if it was necessary to remove Hourigan from Oireachtas committees, Ryan said:

“I think the parliamentary party made the right collective call and as I said, that’s not easy but sometimes you have to make decisions in politics which are difficult, for what you consider the greater good.