Homelessness campaigner warns of oncoming 'tsunami of misery'

Cillian Sherlock, PA

Homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry has said the ending of the temporary moratorium on no-fault evictions is the “worst decision” the Government has made.

More than 4,300 notices to quit were recorded in the final three months of 2022, the latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board show.

This compares with 4,741 notices to quit issued between July and September while the data for the first three months of 2023 has yet to be released.

“We have a tsunami of misery coming down the road,” he said.

“We’re talking about tens of thousands of people who are going to be put out of their homes at a time when emergency homeless accommodation is absolutely packed,” he added.

The founder of Housing First provider The Peter McVerry Trust, Fr McVerry predicted a “drip feed of heart-wrenching stories” in the coming weeks.

“This is the worst decision that this government has taken in its lifetime and is going to cause untold misery,” he added.

Fr McVerry has previously claimed Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien wanted to extend the eviction ban but was overruled by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, an allegation Mr Varadkar has since denied.

Speaking to RTE Radio One’s Today with Claire Byrne, Fr McVerry stood by the comment but said he could not produce evidence as he could not reveal his sources.

“The discussion as far as I’m concerned ends here. I’m saying one thing, the Government are saying another and we can’t go any further,” he said.

“I can understand why the Taoiseach is denying it, this is the most controversial, I think the worst, decision this Government has made in its lifetime.”