THE Government has survived a Sinn Féin motion that called for the extension of an eviction ban which is due to expire at the end of the month.

The coalition’s countermotion, which ran to more than 2,000 words, was backed by 83 TDs, with 68 voting against. There were no abstensions.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan voted against the Government motion.

The parliamentary victory comes after the Government supported the Regional Independents’ amendment to the countermotion.

Five members of the group – Sean Canney, Michael Lowry, Denis Naughten, Cathal Berry, and Matt Shanahan – voted with the Government.

The measures pushed for by the Regional Independent Group included an extension of the rent-a-room scheme to include people on social welfare payments and extend the Croi Conaithe scheme to include properties built before 2007.

Another member of the Regional Independents’ group, Wexford TD Verona Murphy, voted against the Government.

She had requested a reduction in densities to allow for “viable” developments and to activate planning permissions.