Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has criticised Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy for ignoring calls for cross party co-operation on the looming rent arrears debt burden.

Deputy Ó Broin said:

“Last week I wrote to the Ministers for Housing, Finance and Social Protection seeking a cross departmental, cross party meeting to work out solutions on the looming rent arrears debt burden.

“Minister Murphy responded by ignoring calls for any cross-party collaboration on the issue.

“His letter reiterated the measures already announced and the research his department have commissioned the ESRI to do.

“The ERSI do great work and their reports are essential to informing policy discussions on issues.

“Unfortunately, more often than not it is opposition TD’s raising the findings of the report and calling on the government to implement it.

“We need maximum cross-party cooperation to ensure that renters get every possible support at this difficult time

“We need a plan for after the pandemic eases, so the acting government is not throwing together ill thought out, piecemeal measures.”

ENDS//