Government set to announce temporary ban on evictions during Covid-19 spread
The Government is set to announce a temporary ban on evictions during the coronavirus crisis.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy brought the proposal to a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning, which also included a temporary pause on any rent increases for people whose jobs have been impacted by the pandemic.
Health Minister Simon Harris announced in the chamber during Thursday's debate that Mr Murphy is to bring forward legislation to protect renters next week, when the Dáil is due to meet again.
There had been increased public pressure on the department to call for such a ban as thousands of people are laid off due to the crisis, and Ireland's housing crisis shows no signs of abating.
An amendment to ban evictions had been tabled to the government's emergency legislation had been tabled by Sinn Féin.
Staff in the Department of Housing were still working on the wording of the legislation on Thursday afternoon, with the minister expected to announce it last in the day.
The Irish Property Owner's Association has criticised the government's comments in relation to potential eviction of tenants.
"The assumption by the Minister, Pascal Donohue that landlords will automatically seek to evict tenants in financial difficulty is grossly unfair and serves to portray property owners in a very poor and cynical light," Stephen Faughnan, Chairman of the IPOA
"A huge proportion of property owners have accommodated their tenants over a long number of years on very low rents without increasing same, a fact that was ignored when the rent cap measures were introduced at the end of 2016.
"It is now grossly unfair to assume that those same property owners will immediately move to evict tenants in financial difficulty.
"The Government need to move quickly to put in place the rental supports necessary to allow the tenants to continue to pay their rent.
"The Private landlord is the bedrock of the rental sector and Government policy and actions need to recognise and respect this."
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