Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The facts simply do not bear that out. The Deputy voted against these protections in July this year that we brought forward to put protections on tenancies. These were not just temporary protections relating to the pandemic but also in relation to dealing with rent arrears, the extension of the rent arrears notice, the fact that if a landlord issues a rent arrears notice, it has to go to the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, and the fact that the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, is now linked into the process to assist tenants at the very beginning of any arrears that happen. The Deputy voted against those measures and others on the hard left did likewise. This wave of evictions the Deputy refers to is not happening and the figures do not bear that out.

I have said to the Deputy already that, should there be an escalation of the pandemic in this country, I as Minister with responsibility for housing will be watching that very closely and will not be found wanting in bringing forward further protections should they be needed.

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