LAST UPDATE | 21 Mar 2023
CABINET HAS finalised the government’s counter-motion to Sinn Féin’s proposal to extend the eviction ban.
It is understood the Green Party proposed what it describes as a “safety net” in place for renters for when the eviction moratorium begins being phased out on 1 April.
For renters in receipt of State supports such as HAP, councils can purchase their home and make it available to them as social housing as part of an expanded “tenant-in-situ” scheme, which will be expanded beyond the 1,500 units announced a number of weeks ago.
For those not in receipt of supports but at risk of homelessness, their local housing body or council can purchase their home and rent it to them on a “cost rental” or not-for-profit basis.
Additional funding will be made available for these schemes as needed.
For those tenants who are in a position to purchase their home, 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.
Legislation is still needed for this measure and is currently being drafted to underpin these supports.
Speaking to reporters, Ryan said it is important to emphasise that the cost rental safety net will be in place from 1 April when the phasing out of the moratorium begins.
He said this will be a “backstop safety net” that guarantees that households that might be in rented accommodation that are at risk of sale from 1 April will have option of cost-rental.
“So there’s no gap, so that we unwind the evictions ban, but introduce these innovative measures to increase and improve tenants rights at the same time,” he said.
The plan to give tenants the right of first refusal – and if they’re not in a position to buy then housing bodies will step in – will still require legislation. But in the meantime, housing bodies or councils will be able to operate the cost-rental scheme on an administrative basis from 1 April.
The minister said this morning that the operating the cost-rental scheme will be on an administrative basis, which the Government states will mean the most vulnerable will be protected immediately.
The idea is that landlords will be very keen on this measure as it means that they have a guaranteed buyer, a fair price and no prospect of the buyer pulling out.
Ryan said he believes some of the measures before Cabinet are “quite transformational in terms of improving tenants rights and avoiding the prospect of homelessness”.
The Sinn Féin motion will be debated later today in the Dáil and voted on tomorrow.
The motion that will be voted on states that Ireland “remains in the midst of a housing emergency” and will call for the eviction ban to be extended until January 2024.
The motion adds that by choosing to end the eviction ban on 31 March, the government has “increased the stress and insecurity experienced by the 750,000 people, including working families, living in private rented accommodation”.
Speaking outside Leinster House this afternoon, Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin said: “I just want to make a last-minute appeal to all members of the House, particularly to all independents and Fianna Fáil backbenchers, if you do not want homelessness to increase significantly in April, May and June, then vote with us on this motion.
“What that will do is send a strong signal to Government that the Oireachtas does not support their proposals to end the ban on eviction and puts pressure on them to reverse that decision.”
O Broin rejected any suggestion that his party’s non-binding motion was purely symbolic. He insisted a defeat for the Government would represent a “huge blow” that would force it to change its decision.
“It’s called political pressure,” the Sinn Fein housing spokesman said.
“The opposition obviously have a range of mechanisms to put pressure on government, this is one of them. It’s clear that the government’s decision to end the ban is not only unpopular, but there is a sense among many people in the Dail that they think it’s unwise,” he said.
“I think people have a choice – do they want to put pressure on government to reverse the decision or not?”
The Taoiseach has already indicated that the Government has no plans to extend the eviction ban, previously stating that he doesn’t believe reimposing the ban would reverse rising homeless numbers.
The Green Party also held its weekly parliamentary party meeting yesterday evening, where it is understood the possibility of members voting against the Government on the motion, and possible sanctions for doing so, was not discussed.
It comes as Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan stated her intention to vote against the government when the Sinn Féin motion comes before the Dáil tomorrow.
Speaking to RTÉ on Sunday, Green Party chair Pauline O’Reilly said voting with the government is “the price you pay for going into government.”
The coalition will be left with a majority of just one if Hourigan votes in favour of the Sinn Féin motion, while fellow Green Party TD Patrick Costello has also been critical of the move to end the eviction ban.
Thanks, Janet, for representing the views of over 100 Green Party members who signed a letter we sent to the parliamentary party seeking an extension of the #EvictionBan until immediate measures are put in place. Later today, the government's counter motion will be known. @JTG_ie pic.twitter.com/q9G0K2ehCf
— Neasa Hourigan TD (@neasa_neasa) March 21, 2023
Independent TD for Kerry Michael Healy-Rae yesterday confirmed that he will not be voting with the government tomorrow, while other independent TDs said their support is dependent on the government accepting their amendments.
The Regional Group of Independent TDs met last night and proposed eight amendments on housing policy to be considered by the Government.
They include removing barriers to older people in long term nursing home care who wish to lease out their homes, extending the rent-a-room relief scheme to people receiving social welfare payments who rent out a room and introducing a tax relief scheme for small landlords in Budget 2024.
Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Independent TD for Galway East Sean Canney said another of the amendments aims to ensure that “ready-to-go projects” are brought forward “immediately as affordable houses”.
“One of our proposals is to ensure that if there are planning permissions, of which there are 70,000 in this country, ready-to-go projects and the government need to engage with the owners of these sites, and to bring them forward immediately as affordable houses,” said Canney.
“This will bring housing into the market, which will allow young couples to buy their houses, it will make sure that they’re living in houses that they will own rather than rented accommodation and the uncertainty that comes with that.”
Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan has claimed the Green Party has capitulated to the two bigger parties in the coalition in agreeing to lift the evictions ban. He branded the Government move as “utterly reprehensible”.
“Being in government is about negotiations, it’s about compromise, it’s not about capitulation, and what we’re seeing here is the Green Party have completely capitulated on this,” he told reporters outside Leinster House,” O’Callaghan said.
“I don’t think anyone who voted for the Greens in the last election expected that Green TDs would be supporting measures that would increase homelessness and drive potentially thousands of families into homelessness at a time that homelessness is at record levels,” he said.
“The Government’s response in this I think has not been credible. And it’s an unprecedented decision that they’re making. They have admitted themselves this would see, at a time of record homelessness, this would see homelessness increase further.”
He added: “I don’t think any TD from any party or any grouping after this can look themselves in the eye or their electorate in the eye in terms of people getting evicted to homelessness if they vote effectively to lift this ban and they don’t vote for the motion.
“And I think every TD needs to ask themselves that question. It’s not why they got into politics, it’s not why they got elected into the Dail, it’s not in the best interests of their constituents.”
At Leaders’ Questions this afternoon, Labour leader Ivana Bacik confirmed that their party would table a no confidence motion in the Government if there was not a U-turn on the decision to end the eviction ban.
In particular, Bacik called on the Government to support Labour’s draft legislation that would only end the ban if there was a continuous reduction in homelessness figures for four months in a row.
“This is a compassionate, evidence-based approach. Results-based, not time-based and it’s the approach that homeless agencies have urged you to adopt,” Bacik said.
“Taoiseach, will you admit that you have made a mistake, will you stop defending the indefensible and will you reverse your decision.
“If not, you’ve left us with no choice but to table a motion of no confidence in your government next week.
“A measure we do not take lightly but a measure which we believe is justified by reference to the devastation that your government’s decision is causing so many families and renters around the country.”
With reporting by Christina Finn, Hayley Halpin, Tadgh McNally and Press Association
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