Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023
329. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the organisations and stakeholders he and his Department officials met with as part of deliberations regarding the lifting of the eviction ban. [15456/23]
View answerThe Government agreed on 7 March that the ‘Winter Emergency Period’ under the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Act 2022 would come to an end on 31 March 2023, with deferred tenancy terminations taking effect over a staggered period from 1 April to 18 June 2023 as planned and legislated for under that Act.
In advance of this, I considered a number of courses of action and consulted with colleagues across Government who have agreed, taking account of the advices of the Office of Attorney General and our collective knowledge and interaction with the residential sector, that a focus on additional new supply was the best way forward in dealing with the end of the winter eviction ban in a manner which best protects tenants.
In advance of the deferred tenancy arrangements being agreed by Government last October I held a stakeholder event with representatives of homeless agencies and property owners which helped inform the parameters of the legislative arrangements. As the legislation itself provided for the staggered end of the pause no specific meeting was held between my Department nor I with any organisation in relation to the ending of the pause. However, key stakeholders and the wider public continually engage with Government in relation to the operation of the rental market and of tenancy protections. This engagement also informed the Government's decision not to amend the provisions enacted last October.
Under Housing for All the Government is committed to increase supply and protect renters while trying to keep small landlords in the system. In this regard my Department has commenced a review of the Private Rental Sector which will inform Government on the measures which need to be taken to ensure a well-functioning private rental sector in Ireland that works for all.
