Cttee recommends reconsideration of no-fault eviction ban

Ireland's Oireachtas Housing Committee has urged the government to explore all options, including the reintroduction of an emergency ban on no-fault evictions, as a measure to address the rising levels of homelessness. The committee's report highlights deep concern over the increasing numbers of single people, couples, families with children, and pensioners becoming homeless.

A previous moratorium on evictions, which was in place from October 2022 to April 2023, sparked significant political debate and a motion of no confidence when it was lifted. Now, the committee is advising the Minister for Housing, James Browne, to keep an emergency ban under review as part of a broader package of measures aimed at alleviating pressure on emergency homeless services.

Two members of the committee, Eoin Ó Broin (Sinn Féin) and Rory Hearne (Social Democrats), believe a more substantial three-year ban on no-fault evictions is necessary to prevent renters from falling into homelessness. The committee also supports the Housing Commission's recommendation for a referendum to include a constitutional right to housing.

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deep concern at the rising levels of homelessness including single people, couples, families with children and pensioners

Further recommendations focus on protecting children experiencing homelessness. These include establishing minimum timeframes for emergency accommodation and closely monitoring the duration of stays for individual children. The report calls for these measures to be integrated into a new child homelessness strategy. Additionally, the committee advocates for increased funding for vital homeless prevention initiatives like tenant-in-situ schemes, greater allocation of social homes for those exiting homelessness, and a significant boost in funding and delivery of social and genuinely affordable housing.

The committee also stressed the importance of early engagement between the Department of Housing and the Department of Justice to ensure individuals in direct provision are supported to avoid exiting into homelessness. Committee chair Micheál Carrigy emphasized the urgency of the situation, urging the government to implement measures to reduce new cases of homelessness, expedite exits from homelessness, and meet its target of ending long-term homelessness by 2030. The committee also awaits the results of a review into the Housing Assistance Payment.

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introduce an emergency package of measures to reduce the number of people becoming homeless, assist people to exit homelessness more quickly and ensure the Government meets its targets of ending long term homelessness by 2030