Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has called on government to immediately reinstate the ban on no-fault evictions. 

His call was made in response to the latest homeless report from the Department of Housing showing that 12,259 adults and children were officially homeless in April. This represents an increase of 246 people compared to the previous month.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Today’s homeless figures from the Department of Housing have reached a new and terrifying record. 12,259 people, including 3,594 children, were in Department of Housing-funded emergency accommodation in April. This represents an increase of 246 people on March.

“This is a very significant increase in homelessness in the first month since the ending of the ban on no-fault evictions. On the basis of what we are seeing in constituency offices across the state, homelessness is going to continue to rise at an even faster rate in the coming months.

“Today’s figures confirm once again that the government’s decision to end the ban on no-fault evictions was wrong. It also highlights the fact that they simply did not have the emergency measures in place to deal with the ending of the ban.

“The tenant-in-situ  scheme is still moving too slowly. The output of social and affordable homes is too slow. No additional supply of social housing using emergency planning and procurement powers has even been initiated.

“Government must immediately reinstate the ban on no-fault evictions. They must increase and accelerate the delivery of social homes, including a significant number of high grade modular homes delivered with emergency planning and procurement powers. They must also provide councils with additional staff to speed up the processing time for the tenant-in-situ scheme.

“Failure to do this will see homelessness continue to rise in the coming months approaching and eventually breaching the 13,000 number. Government must change their approach to this ever deepening homeless crisis before things get even worse.”