Paul Murphy: Eviction ban 'full of loopholes' leaves tenants at risk
Paul Murphy criticised the Government's eviction ban as minimal and riddled with loopholes, arguing it leaves many tenants unprotected amid rising homelessness and a cost of living crisis. He highlighted individual cases and warned that tenants who cannot pay or who have already been served notices remain vulnerable.
Government response and constitutionality
The speaker said the Government was "dragged kicking and screaming" to implement some form of eviction ban by pressure from the Opposition, the growing housing movement and rising homeless numbers. He noted the Government previously claimed such measures were unconstitutional but now insists they are, while still framing the legislation in the narrowest terms possible.
Protections excluded - unpaid tenants and existing notices
He argued the bill excludes tenants who lose their jobs and are unable to pay, not just those who willfully refuse to pay, meaning people with an inability to pay could be evicted. He also warned that tenants who have already been served eviction notices are not protected by the new measures.
Case studies cited - Stephanie and Tathany House
Murphy described a woman he calls Stephanie - a young student with four children - who received an eviction notice and was advised to overhold, yet legally still faces eviction over winter. He also detailed residents of Tathany House in Dublin 8 - 35 apartments affecting about 100 people - where the landlord says he is selling and has served a notice to quit, and a renter named James O'Toole says he is terrified of returning to the rental market.
Calls for local intervention and protests
He said residents are protesting outside Dublin City Council at Wood Quay on Saturday the 29th of October at 3pm and referenced the Raise the Roof protest on the 26th of October. He called on the council to step in, buy properties where necessary and for the RTB to enforce the Tyrrellstown amendment to prevent mass evictions, warning that loopholes are being used by landlords to claim hardship.
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Thanks Chair. The Government has been dragged kicking and screaming to implement some form of eviction ban. It has been dragged by pressure from the Opposition, it has been dragged by the growing housing movement, which is going to be seen on the streets again on the 26th of October with the Raise the Roof protest, November, and it has been dragged by the rising homeless numbers and the political pressure that that is putting on the Government. But the Government, even in that context, it now says, OK, it is constitutional, the thing that we said was definitely not constitutional before, all of a sudden it is now constitutional. But still, even now when you are dragged and forced to do it, you can't help but do it in the most minimal way possible, stitching in as many loopholes as you possibly can for landlords to jump through. One loophole, incredibly, is in a cost of living crisis, there is no protection for tenants who lose their jobs and are unable to pay. In the discussion around this in the media, before the bill was published, Michael Martin and others spoke about, well, those who willfully refuse to pay, they won't be protected. But that is not what is contained here, this is not just about those who willfully refuse to pay, but anybody who cannot pay. Those who have an inability to pay, are not protected, could be put on the streets this winter. Secondly, those who have already been served their eviction notices. So I spent time in a woman's house last Monday, Monday before last, who got her eviction notice for that day. Young woman, four children, in college studying psychology. She had tried everywhere to find somewhere else to stay, unable to, like so many people. And so I advised her, as others did, she should over hold, she should tell the landlord, look, I'm not leaving, I'm not going to make me and my four kids homeless. So she stayed there. The landlord actually is relatively understanding, has said, okay, I won't try and evict you again before Christmas. But legally, there is nothing protecting Stephanie and her kids from eviction over this winter, despite the fact that the government is introducing an eviction man. And I also want to finally speak about the other group not protected, those who have notice given now, for later on. For example, the eviction notice is given to the tenants of 35 apartments in Tathany House in Dublin 8, affecting about 100 people currently living in the block, with the landlord saying, I'm selling it, and a notice to quit for the start of June. One of the renters, James O'Toole, has said that he is terrified to go back into the current rental market in Dublin, with the limited supply available. He has lived in the building since 2009, many other tenants similarly. The occupants are looking to the RTB to enforce the Tyrrellstown amendment, because there is a mass eviction to stop it. But there are loopholes in the Tyrrellstown amendment. The landlord is claiming, and this is a very rich landlord by all accounts, that preventing this mass eviction would cause hardship to the poor landlord, and effectively seeking then to be able to mass evict these people. These residents are not taking it lying down, they are protesting outside Dublin City Council at Wood Quay, this Saturday the 29th of October at 3pm. In particular I would be calling for the Council in that situation, in Stephanie's situation, to step in, the Council should step in, buy these properties, and prevent people from being made homeless. Going back to this meeting in the back of the House of Representatives, I would be happy to go back and get the mic to take a look at the bottom line. Thank you. Program표를 waiting for the Council in the House of Representatives is not galera.
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