Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has called on the government to introduce a winter ban on evictions now.

Teachta Crowe said:

“The government must introduce a winter ban on evictions now. This must happen urgently, without delay.

“I am concerned by some reports suggesting that a ban, if introduced, would not take effect until December.

“Any delay in the introduction of the eviction ban will result in more adults and children being forced into homelessness.

“We know that a temporary ban on evictions will not solve the core problem, which is the government’s failure to deliver an adequate supply of social and genuinely affordable homes.

“Minister O’Brien must accompany any ban on evictions with a package of measures to accelerate and increase the delivery of public housing to meet social and affordable housing need.

“Any such package must do more to bring vacant units back into stock. It must include the delivery of high quality permanent modular homes. It must increase the purchase of private rental homes with HAP and RAS tenants in place and at risk of eviction. And it must cut the red tape and bureaucracy that is slowing down the delivery of much needed social homes.

“It is clear that the government’s approach to the housing crisis to date has failed. The government must respond with greater urgency if a winter catastrophe is to be averted.

“Every day, people in south Dublin are paying the price of the government’s failure to tackle the housing crisis and it isn’t good enough. Too many people here are stuck paying sky high rents or in cramped accommodation while they are priced out of ever owning their own home.

“Sinn Féin in government would tackle the housing crisis so that people can access genuinely affordable homes.”