Between A Rock & No Place

Slip sliding away…

atest press release from Deputy Jennifer Whitmore, issued on Wednesday, March 22nd 2023…

Ahead of the vote this afternoon on the lifting of the eviction ban Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on government to reverse their position.

Renters facing eviction across Wicklow have extremely limited options available to them, and emergency accommodation beds are scarce. The eviction ban is due to expire at the end of this month leaving thousands of households vulnerable to homelessness in the months ahead.

The Social Democrats TD said: “There are currently only 20 properties listed for rent in Wicklow on Daft.ie. These range from €728 for a studio in Caranew to €5,500 for a three bed apartment in Kilmacanogue, with very little else in between. This is the reality of trying to find a home to rent in Wicklow right now. This is also happening at the same time of record house prices across the county.

“The decision by government to lift the eviction ban shows a major dereliction of duty given the current housing market. We were told by government the eviction ban was going to provide breathing room while supply issues were addressed. That never materialised. Now, in the face of some of the lowest supply and highest prices ever Wicklow renters are being left with no where to go.

“Renters affected include everyone from students to retirees; people with complex medical needs to those who are need to live here for work. The eviction ban must be extended, and government must come up with real alternatives to their current housing policy which is failing to help the most in need.

“Government seem to believe that the answer to the housing crisis is trying to claw back the loss of small landlord from the market but we know that small landlords are not responsible for the housing crisis. 12 years of government housing policies have brought us to this point. What we need is major state investment in public housing to buy and to rent across the country.

“Every week I get calls from distressed constituents approaching my office looking for help on housing. Private renters are being evicted because their tenancy is not protected when the home is sold. HAP recipients cannot find anywhere to rent and are facing pulling their children out of school to move to another town or county. People who have been renting for more than a decade from the same landlord are now faced with eviction notices. They are going to be entering a market with just 20 units available to rent on Daft.ie across for Wicklow and most of them are out of the price range for low to middle income earners.

“My main question to government is; what are we supposed to tell them? Where are these people supposed to go?

“And did they even consider this when they took the decision to lift the eviction ban?”