Sinn Féin TD for Meath West Johnny Guirke has called for ‘Government to immediately reinstate the ban on no fault evictions’ to protect people in Meath at risk of homelessness. The call was made as figures from the Department of Housing show a significant increase in official homelessness in March in Meath, before the ban on evictions was lifted on April 1st.
He told Meath Live, “The March homeless figures are utterly shocking. The total number of people in Department of Housing funded emergency accommodation in Meath rose by 7 to 200. The figures include an increase in both family and single person homelessness.
“March was the last month in which tenants were protected by the ban on no fault evictions. What these figures tell us is that levels of homelessness are going to start rising significantly in Meath from April.
‘’Homeless numbers rose from February’s figure 8,369 homeless to March figure 8,516, and this was all before the Government and Independents voted to end the eviction bill.
“All of this demonstrated the need for Government to immediately reinstate the ban on no fault evictions.
“Government have not put in place the necessary emergency measures to deal with the expected rise in homelessness from April. I have repeatedly urged local government TDs from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to tell those with eviction notices falling due where they should go. However, still cannot answer this simple question.
“What level of homelessness do we need to see before Government acts to protect those at imminent risk of losing their homes in Meath?
“It has been clear for some time now that the housing crisis in Meath is totally out of control and the government is failing to act. People in Meath are left to pay the price for the government’s incompetence, as they are trapped paying sky high rents, fearing eviction and losing hope of ever owning their own home.
“Sinn Féin in government would get to grips with the housing crisis and deliver genuinely affordable homes.”
