Government urged to put winter housing plan in place to provide 'security and certainty' for renters 

LABOUR local area rep in Cork Peter Horgan has urged the Government to use the summer months to put a housing plan in place for the forthcoming winter.

Mr Horgan said he believes an eviction ban must be re-instated to give “security and certainty” to renters this winter.

“The lifting of the eviction ban in April sent a definitive message to renters in Cork - Government are more concerned with keeping private interests on side than protecting those who are squeezed by the housing market.

“Labour urged Government to keep the eviction ban in place until there was clear evidence that homelessness was decreasing.

“Instead, we continue to see a steady increase in people entering homelessness in Cork and nationwide.

“This winter, Government cannot leave people literally out in the cold.

“Labour is calling for the introduction of an annual ‘winter truce’ eviction ban, as has been in place in France since 1956.

“Families need security and certainty, and during the winter months, they need a reprieve.

“Introducing an annual winter eviction ban would be a step in the right direction, and a mark a positive change in approach from Minister O’Brien,” he said.

“Government must use the weeks ahead to set out an emergency Housing for All strategy for the winter, which must include an eviction ban, but also focus on delivering social and affordable homes to speed up supply coming on stream.

Mr Horgan said there are “enormous systemic issues in housing” and said he believes more must be done in terms of enticing people to consider a career in construction.

'Responsible Decision'

Speaking during a visit to Cork last April, Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien insisted that the choice to allow the ban on no-fault evictions to lapse had been a responsible decision.

“It was a difficult one, but we took that on the basis that we didn’t want to make a difficult situation in relation to the private rental market any worse,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We have very significant supports in place.

“All of our local authorities are tooled up to be able to purchase homes with tenant in situ, not just for those who are in HAP and RAS tenancies, but also private tenancies.

“We have the cost-rental backstop and we’ve also assistance for tenants to buy homes should they need that assistance if the landlord is selling,” he said.

“We’re watching this very, very closely.

“I think most people will agree that the way through this is by supply, by good supply – good social homes, good affordable and yes private homes and we need that,” the Housing Minister added.