Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that the government must take emergency action to stem the tide of rising homelessness.

Speaking as he announced that his bill to implement an immediate and temporary ban on no-fault evictions would be advanced in the Dáil next week, Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Sinn Féin is the party that will build affordable homes and cut rents.

“Next week Sinn Féin will bring forward a bill to change the law so that ordinary workers, families and children cannot be evicted of a landlord when they have done nothing wrong.

“This is the norm in other states, and is needed to stop a further rise in homelessness this Christmas.

“The homelessness crisis has never been worse. This Christmas, more than 4000 children will wake up on Christmas morning in a hub, hostel or B&B.

“Scandalously, for many of these children, this will be their third or fourth Christmas doing so.

“There are now more families and children living in emergency accommodation since records began. This is completely unacceptable.

“The reason for this is because the government is not delivering enough social and affordable housing.

“Under this government, we have record high house prices, record rent increases and record levels of homelessness.

“The Minister for Housing, Darragh O’Brien, and his government, must grasp the seriousness of the housing crisis and take emergency action to stem the tide of rising homelessness.

“There have been 15,000 eviction notices issued so far this year and the number is likely to rise to 20,000 by the end of this year.

“In order to stop the flow of families, children, single people and pensioners into emergency accommodation this Christmas, the government must take emergency action.

“Sinn Féin’s bill to reintroduce the government’s ban on no-fault evictions would, if passed, take immediate effect and last until the end of March.

“This is a necessary protection for households who rent their homes and who pay their rent on time and cause no bother to their landlords.

“It would also give the government the breathing space required to increase and accelerate the building of social and affordable homes for those who are currently homeless, and in need of a permanent roof over their heads.

“The reality is that the longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in government the worse the housing crisis will get. But if they want to see fewer children homeless this Christmas, then they must support Sinn Féin’s bill.”