Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Deputy McDonald would not make thousands of people homeless. Whatever about the Taoiseach and Fine Gael, whom we know only care about big business, big landlords and big speculators, where are the Fianna Fáil backbenchers who care to talk about supporting the people?

I went on local radio in Cork. No member of this Government will come on the radio with me or with any member of Sinn Féin to debate this issue. They are running for the hills. They are hiding. They will not stand up and be counted. Any one who supports this Government's lifting on the ban on evictions tomorrow night is betraying people. That is what this is: a betrayal of ordinary, vulnerable people.

I know a married woman with one child who is going through chemotherapy treatment and who is going to be evicted by the Minister. Let us call a spade a spade. I know another lady who I told the Taoiseach about today who has stage four COPD and she is on constant oxygen. The Minister will evict her next month. This is what the Government is doing.

Do not tell us about all the different schemes the Government is running. Six months ago the Government should have done its job but it did not do so. We are suggesting the extension of the eviction ban until the end of January 2024. The Government should do its job. We will work with the Minister and with the Government.

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