Richard Boyd Barrett calls for long-term eviction and rent ban
Richard Boyd Barrett spoke on 22 Jul 2020 about the eviction ban and the rent increase ban, urging a long-term extension and asking the Taoiseach to heed NESC's advice. He warned that short extensions would put people who lost income or jobs at risk of eviction and said improvements for homeless people should not be reversed.
NESC findings
The speaker referenced a June NESC paper that, he said, was clear and unequivocal that the eviction ban and the rent increase ban should be extended. He stressed that NESC did not mean a short, 10-day measure and highlighted the body’s concern about people who have suffered income or job loss building arrears.
Risk to tenants and homeless people
Richard Boyd Barrett argued there is a real danger that tenants impacted by COVID-19 could face eviction if the ban is lifted without a longer-term extension. He also cited NESC's categorical warning that improvements for homeless people secured through public health measures should not be reversed.
Parliamentary context and past votes
He reminded the Taoiseach that Fianna Fáil supported the People Before Profit Solidarity anti-eviction bill in the last Dáil, a bill which passed in the Dáil and was intended to ban evictions on the grounds of sale to prevent vulture funds and unscrupulous landlords exploiting tenants.
Direct challenge to the Taoiseach
The speaker pressed the Taoiseach on whether the government will heed NESC’s advice and implement a long-term extension of the eviction and rent increase bans to safeguard tenants and preserve recent gains for homeless people. His remarks framed the extension as necessary to protect those affected through no fault of their own.
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Yeah, as has already been alluded to, NESC produced a paper in June on the implications of COVID-19 for housing and they were clear and unequivocal in saying that the eviction ban and the rent increase ban should be extended and I think it was very clear from the commentary in that report they didn't mean for 10 days. They pointed out as part of their argument quite correctly the huge numbers of people who've suffered income loss or job loss may have built up arrears and therefore if the ban is lifted there's a real danger that many people who've been impacted through no fault of their own by COVID-19 could find themselves facing eviction if there is not a much longer term extension of that ban. And I would remind the Taoiseach that Fianna Fáil supported the People Before Profit Solidarity anti-eviction bill in the last Dáil which passed in the Dáil. The government obviously didn't want to implement the last government but your party voted for it which was to ban evictions on the grounds of sale to prevent vulture funds and unscrupulous landlords using eviction as a way of maximising profit at the expense of tenants. So it's clear that NESC are alluding to that and they're also alluding to the fact that they say again very clearly and categorically that homeless people who've seen their situation improved because of public health measures getting owned or accommodation that those measures should not be reversed. So this is a body that's funded by your department. Are you going to heed the advice on NESC and have a long-term extension on the eviction and rent increase ban to safeguard tenants and not to reverse the improvements that some homeless people have got as a result of the pandemic measures? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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