'SF bill will prevent more children being made homeless this Christmas' - Clarke

Deputy Sorca Clarke has said that TDs in Longford-Westmeath must support calls to take emergency action to stem the tide of rising homelessness.

Speaking after Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin announced that his bill to implement an immediate and temporary ban on no-fault evictions would be advanced in the Dáil next week, Deputy Clarke said:

“Sinn Féin is the party that will build affordable homes and cut rents.

“This week Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin will bring forward his bill to change the law so that ordinary workers, families and children cannot be evicted at the whim of a landlord when they have done nothing wrong.

“This is the norm in other states, and is needed to stop a further rise in homelessness this Christmas.

“The homelessness crisis has never been worse. This Christmas, more than 4000 children will wake up on Christmas morning in a hub, hostel or B&B.

“ Fifty fiove of these children are in the Midlands region. Scandalously, for many of these children, this will be their third or fourth Christmas doing so.

“There are now more families and children living in emergency accommodation since records began. This is completely unacceptable.

“Under this government, we have record high house prices, record rent increases and record levels of homelessness.

“The Minister for Housing, Darragh O'Brien, and his government, must grasp the seriousness of the housing crisis and take emergency action to stem the tide of rising homelessness.

“In order to stop the flow of families, children and single people into emergency accommodation this Christmas, the government must take emergency action.

“Eoin Ó Broin's bill to reintroduce the government's ban on no-fault evictions would, if passed, take immediate effect and last until the end of March.

“This is a necessary protection for households who rent their homes and who pay their rent on time and cause no bother to their landlords.

“It would also give the government the breathing space required to increase and accelerate the building of social and affordable homes for those who are currently homeless, and in need of a permanent roof over their heads.

“The reality is that the longer Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are in government the worse the housing crisis will get.

“But if TDs in Longford-Westmeath want to see fewer children homeless this Christmas, then they must support Sinn Féin's bill.”