Limerick councillors to push government to change tack on ending eviction ban

COUNCIL staff will be asked to provide information around the emergency accommodation capacity across Limerick this week.

A special meeting of local authority members is scheduled to take place on Wednesday at 2pm in County Hall, Dooradoyle.

It comes after Sinn Fein councillors Sharon Benson, PJ Carey and Tom Collopy formally used local government legislation to request this.

They were joined in their call by Social Democrats councillor Elisa O'Donovan and Independent Eddie Ryan.

Third level students and graduates of Limerick colleges to get vote for Seanad Eireann

It comes as the winter moratorium on no-fault evictions was formally lifted.

Campaigners fear the move will see an upsurge in people being ordered to leave their rented accommodation.
At the meeting, a special motion will be voted on, noting the comments by tenants' charity Threshold which predicts that "unprecedented" numbers of adults and children could become homeless as a result of the end of the moratorium.

The motion will ask fellow councillors to write to government to urge them to reconsideer the ending of the eviction ban, and instead, liaise with all local auithorities to provide the resources required to increase housing supply.

Cllr Benson said: "People are going to be homeless. We have to do everything possible, we need to try to get the government to change their minds."

"The government has not planned for this. They are scrambling out measures at the last minute. There is absolute chaos. It has to be put back in place," she added, "We have families where they are earning enough not to be on the social housing list, and they still can't afford anywhere to rent. Not that there is anywhere to rent. There are zero options for these people this morning. It's down to a lack of government planning. They sholuld have had all of this in place before ending this ban. They refused to do - they've sat on their hands."

The meeting takes place at 2pm on Wednesday at County Hall in Dooradoyle, and also virtually.