Louise O'Reilly: Ban Evictions Now as Homelessness Soars
Louise O'Reilly addressed the Dáil on the housing crisis, criticising government policy and calling for an immediate ban on evictions. She recounted a constituent's experience and highlighted rising homelessness figures to press for urgent change.
What happened
Louise O'Reilly thanked Deputy Eoin O'Brien for bringing the motion and accused the government of making the housing crisis worse through recent legislation. She warned that those laws have driven a surge in evictions and rising homelessness, and urged immediate action.
Constituent's case
O'Reilly described meeting a woman in her constituency who had a notice to quit and was told to be out in June. Fingal County Council told the woman it could not confirm tenant-in-situ applications for 2026 because funding is determined by the Department of Housing and local government.
Numbers and consequences
O'Reilly cited current homelessness figures - 17,500 people homeless, including 5,500 children - and pressed the Minister with a series of questions about when the government will recognise the need to change course. She challenged ministers to consider at what point the scale of child homelessness will prompt action.
Demand and solution
Louise O'Reilly concluded by offering solutions debated in the Dáil and insisting that the immediate measure required to protect people like her constituent is a ban on evictions. She urged the Minister to think about the individuals and children behind the statistics.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Go raibh maith agat, Ceann Comhairle, and I want to thank Deputy Eoin O'Brien for this motion this evening and actually for all of the work that he does in this area. It does at least give people hope to know that somebody listens, somebody cares and somebody's paying attention and has a solution. Time and time again we see government policy making the housing crisis that you have created even worse. We warned you that your legislation would result in a surge in evictions. We warned you that it would contribute to the rising numbers of homelessness and you did not listen and you pressed ahead and you do as you do the bidding for big developers and for those people who seem to have your ear. The people in my constituency, Minister, they have my ear. Now I understand that your colleague turns a deaf ear to them. She's no office, she doesn't do clinics, she's not available and that's fine, that sort of thing. But I sat last week in my office with a woman. She had her notice to quit in her hand. She was told by her landlord that she has to be out in June. Fingal County Council have written to her and they said we cannot advise whether Fingal County Council will be in a position to accept tenant in situ applications in 2026 as funding is determined by the Department of Housing and local government. She sobbed her heart out, Minister, and she asked me would I ask you a very simple question. How many people have to become homeless before you recognise that there needs to be a change of course? How many people have to find themselves clutching a notice to quit, sitting in their TD's office, sobbing their heart out before you take meaningful action? There are 17,500 people homeless, 5,500 of those are children. Minister, is the figure 6,000? Will you care when there are 6,000 children homeless, Minister? Will it penetrate into government when the figure goes to 7,000 maybe? We have offered solutions here this evening. The only, only thing that will help this woman in the short term is a ban on evictions. Minister, I urge you to think about the people and the children behind these statistics.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
