People ‘grappling with suicidal thoughts’ over eviction, Dáil told

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

People are “grappling with suicidal thoughts” as their families face “the horror of eviction”, the Taoiseach has been told.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said “far too many people are suffering the trauma of losing their home” as a “direct result” of Government policy.

She told Taoiseach Micheál Martin during Leaders’ Questions that he was “prioritising the market over people” by “incentivising landlords to evict” with rental reforms introduced earlier this year.

In reference to plans to phase out State-supplied accommodation for Ukrainians, Bacik said: “And you’re doing it again now this week, telling 16,000 Ukrainian refugees to fend for themselves in an overheated rental market or return to a war zone – so much for solidarity with Ukraine.”

The Labour leader said a person with a €1,500 per month budget would find just two two-bed properties for rent on Daft.ie in Dublin on Wednesday, as she said the housing crisis had become “normalised” under Martin’s Government.

She told the Dáil: “As a local TD, it’s getting harder and harder to support people through this deepening crisis, but each year you’re pursuing the same policies, and things are getting worse.

“We’re now hearing from constituents who are even grappling with suicidal thoughts as they and their families face the horror of eviction.”

Bacik said housing charity Threshold supported more than 10,000 households in the first three months of this year alone – 3% of all households in the private rented sector.”

She further accused the Taoiseach of “doing nothing” about rising homeless numbers, adding that “your policies are making things worse”.

Bacik said: “There are people in Ireland who are profiting from this social disaster, because scarcity drives profits up for land hoarders and higher rents benefit price gouging landlord.

“Yet you are subsidising those who are speculating on this social disaster.”

Labour has called for a reintroduction of a no-fault eviction ban and the development of a State construction company to deliver homes at scale.

Martin said he fundamentally disagreed with Bacik’s position.

The Fianna Fáil leader told the Dáil: “The state is investing the majority of funding in housing right now and has been for the last three to four years.

“Your presentation about saying that we’re favouring the private market over the public doesn’t doesn’t add up.”

Martin said there was record-levels of State investment amounting to €10 billion this year, adding: “Not tax breaks at all.”

The Taoiseach said the Labour proposal on a State construction company had not been “fleshed out” beyond “one paragraph”.

He said a no-fault eviction ban would slow down supply of homes.

“We need to get to 50,000 out a year, and you need to balance that with public sector investment and private sector investment.

“Private sector contribution should not be seen as a dirty word.”

He added: “The momentum is very strong now.

“Unfortunately, this crisis in the Middle East could be problematic in time, we need that war to end.”