Richard Boyd Barrett urges removal of money message on eviction bill
Richard Boyd Barrett spoke on 3 December 2019 about housing and homelessness, urging the Taoiseach to remove the "money message" that blocks the People Before Profit - Solidarity anti-evictions bill. He argued the bill, which would end sale of property as a ground for eviction, is needed to stop people being pushed into homelessness.
Request to the Taoiseach
Barrett asked the Taoiseach directly whether he would accept the assessment of leading campaigners and remove the financial objection to the People Before Profit - Solidarity anti-evictions bill so the bill can proceed for debate.
Campaigner evidence on eviction causes
He cited the views of the foremost housing campaigner Peter Macvery, saying Macvery singled out evictions from the private rented sector on the grounds of sale as the single major reason people are entering homelessness.
Legislative proposal at issue
The bill Barrett referred to proposes to end sale of property as a grounds for eviction. Barrett pressed that this specific measure should be allowed to proceed so it can address the flow of people into homelessness from the private rented sector.
Housing supply and Rebuilding Ireland figures
Barrett reviewed delivery under Rebuilding Ireland, noting the target of 125,000 homes by end 2021 and that so far 64,000 new homes have been delivered, 26,000 homes are on site in the last 12 months, and a further 30,000 are applying for permission.
Recent rental reforms and NGO talks
He recalled earlier rental reforms passed with majority support and said he and the Taoiseach had met main NGOs to discuss houses for rent that are being marketed for sale. Barrett reported the government explained why it had not adopted proposals put forward by Father McFerry, arguing that simply banning sales-as-grounds-for-eviction would displace rather than solve homelessness.
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We will discuss later this evening the gamut of policy failures in terms of housing and homelessness of this government and on Thursday we will discuss because people before profit requested it solutions to the housing crisis just in case you're tempted to say we don't want to discuss solutions but in your program for government you had a whole chapter heading on ending homelessness now last night the foremost housing campaigner in this country singled out one issue to address one issue as the key issue which was to stop the flow of homelessness of people into homelessness from the private rented sector because of evictions on the grounds of sale now I am asking Taoiseach do you think you know better than Peter Macvery and if you don't if you respect that he knows what he's saying will you remove the money message from the people before profit the solidarity anti-evictions bill which proposes to do precisely that to end sale of property as a grounds for eviction given that Peter Macvery has identified it as the single major reason that people are going into homelessness In relation to the area of homelessness the best way we can help people who are in housing insecurity is through increasing the number of homes that are being delivered Rebuilding Ireland set out a target of 125,000 homes by the end of 2021 So far under rebuilding Ireland 64,000 new homes have been delivered 26,000 homes are on site in the last 12 months and are further 30,000 applying permission so we are increasing dramatically the supply of new homes but for those who don't have their homes yet earlier this year we passed That's not the question Owen I'm getting to it Deputy That's not the question I'm getting to it Deputy You spoke for a minute, I'm going to speak for a minute Earlier this year we passed the most progressive rental reforms that we've passed in three years with the majority support of this house because that's the only way things can get done here the government and the minority I can't bring forward legislation and get it through without the support of this house and those were very very important reforms and earlier this year but myself and the Taoiseach met with the main NGOs in the country to talk about the issue of houses that are for rent that are going for sale and why we couldn't do what was what is being proposed by Father McFerry the reasons behind that but also why it wouldn't actually solve the problem of homelessness it would just displace it would displace the problem Deputy please Deputy Deputy Father McFerry has been an advocate for the homelessness for more than 35 years It's a challenge that we've had for society for far too long We're doing everything that we can to fix it within our means Thank you Ministry Mr Mr Prime homelessness Thank you Minister inner
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