Government must reintroduce ban on no-fault evictions as eviction notices rise dramatically in Kildare — TD

Sinn Féin TD Patricia Ryan has called on government to immediately reintroduce the ban on no-fault evictions, in order 'to protect renters in Kildare.'

The call came as figures released by the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) today showed an increase in eviction notices issued by landlords from April to June in County Kildare.

Commenting on the findings, Ms Ryan said: "RTB figures released today show a dramatic increase in eviction notices issued locally by landlords between April and June of this year.

"The total number of notices in Kildare was 194; up 3.38 per cent."

She continued: "These figures show that the number of people at risk of homelessness in Kildare is set to grow in the coming months leading to further rises in homelessness.

Patricia Ryan TD, Sinn Féin. File photograph.

"The government must immediately reintroduce the ban on no fault evictions until such time as the numbers of people in emergency accommodation starts to fall: they need to deliver more social and affordable housing specifically for those in emergency accommodation using emergency planning powers and new building technologies, and they must ramp up the social and cost rental tenant-in-situ schemes."

Ms Ryan further said: "The government was wrong to end the ban on no-fault evictions, as they abandoned renters while having no plan in place to protect them. This has left people in Kildare facing the heartbreak and distress of losing their home. 

"If we are to see levels of homelessness fall, we need an emergency response and we need it now.

"People in Kildare are suffering badly from Government’s failure to get to grips with the housing crisis."

"A Sinn Féin government would act to deliver genuinely afford homes to rent and buy in Kildare," she concluded.