Lifting the ban at the end of March will create a tsunami of evictions, with homelessness services already completely overstretched
The latest homelessness figures highlight the need for an extension of the ban on evictions and a ramping up of tenant in situ purchases, according to Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan.
Deputy O’Callaghan, who is the party’s Housing spokesperson, said:
“Figures released today show that homelessness has yet again hit record levels. There were 11,632 people living in homeless emergency accommodation over the Christmas period, 3,442 of them children.
“This represents a shocking 40 percent rise in the number of children in emergency accommodation in just one year.
“Lifting the ban at the end of March will create a tsunami of evictions while our homelessness services are completely overstretched already.
“The Government must extend the eviction ban and use the time to grow our social housing stock. A relatively quick measure that keeps families in their homes would be the rapid expansion of tenant in situ purchases.
“We have seen such purchases rolled out sporadically across the country, with some local authorities using them more than others. The Minister needs to issue clear direction to all local authorities and provide the necessary funding to ramp up tenant in situ purchases to save people from the ordeal of becoming homeless.
“The Government has wasted the breathing space provided by the eviction ban and has allowed the crisis to get even worse.
“We cannot grow accustomed to grim records like this being broken month after month. Homelessness has a deep and lasting impact on those who experience it. These are people, not just statistics.”
January 27, 2023