Sinn Féin TD for Kerry, Pa Daly, is calling on the Minister for Housing to take urgent action over the flood of Notices to Quit for rental accommodation, stating that these notices are increasing significantly.
Teachta Daly that Minister O’Brien must take urgent action to address the crisis in the rental sector specifically.
“Since 2021, we have witnessed an increase in Notices to Quit and this number is now growing at an exponential rate,” said Teachta Daly.
Massive Increases in Quit Notices
“In figures released to my colleague Eoin Ó Broin, TD, there were 1,781 Notices to Quit served in the second quarter of 2022, a massive increase from 841 notices in the same period in 2021.
“In Kerry, I am hearing that three families a week are being made homeless. These figures are alarming and require urgent action,” he said.
Resorting to Homeless Accommodation
“My office is receiving daily contacts from individuals and families who have been issued Notices to Quit and cannot find any rental accommodation. They have been forced to resort to homeless accommodation which, in some cases, has resulted in whole families going from a stable family home that they have lived in for 5-10 years, to one bedroom in hostel accommodation.
“From my regular contact with Housing Officers, I know that they are even running out of hostel accommodation and we are at risk of having nowhere to house people, even on a temporary basis.
A Flood of Evictions
“We know now, that based on the massive spike in Notices to Quit for Q2 2022, that we will see a flood of evictions following these later in 2021 and early in 2022.
“In Q1 2021, there were 352 eviction notices. This number rose quite dramatically to 841 the following quarter as the result of Darragh O’Brien ending the Covid-19 ban on evictions in April 2021. These numbers have now escalated exponentially to 1,132 Notices in Quarter 1 of 2022, and 1,781 Notices in Quarter 2.
Urgent Meeting Needed
“The Minister for Housing needs to convene an urgent meeting to address this crisis in the rental sector. This meeting must happen immediately and include the Residential Tenancies Board, tenant and landlord representative organisations, and opposition housing spokespeople.
“We urgently need a crisis intervention plan to slow down the disorderly exit of private landlords exiting the rental market.
“All options must be on the table for consideration including a temporary ban on evictions, an accelerated tenant in-situ purchase scheme by Local Authorities, an acceleration of social housing delivery and tax reform in the private rental sector.
Levels We Thought Impossible
“Based on the numbers released to Sinn Féin by the RTB, and on the basis of people contacting my office for assistance, the number of single people and families being evicted will increase significantly in Kerry every month for the remainder of this year and well into 2023.
“This will lead to a level of homelessness that we would previously have thought impossible. Government and Minister O’Brien must act now,” said Teachta Daly.
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