Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has described the latest increase in eviction notice figures from the Residential Tenancies Board as ‘alarming’ and has called on government to ‘immediately reintroduce the ban on no fault evictions and introduce an emergency package of measures to address the escalating housing and homelessness crisis.’

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Today the Residential Tenancies Board have released their eviction notice figures for the first quarter of 2023. 

“From January to March this year a further 4,753 eviction notices have been issued to tenants. The majority of these notices were issued on grounds of a landlord selling the property.

“Last Friday saw the Department of Housing release the April homelessness figures. More than 12,000 adults and 3,500 children are now officially homeless. 

“The primary cause of this appalling level of homelessness is a collapse in the number of homeless preventions and exits from emergency accommodation.

“With the number of evictions notices being issued at such a high rate there is little doubt that without an emergency intervention by government the numbers in emergency accommodation are going to continue to rise.

“Government must immediately reintroduce the ban on no fault evictions and introduce an emergency package of measures to address the escalating homeless crisis; including using emergency planning and procurement to deliver an additional volume of social and affordable homes and increased staffing to Councils to process tenant-in-situ purchases more quickly.”