Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I want to challenge the Taoiseach on a number of things he said regarding the eviction ban. First, he said earlier in response to Deputy Bacik that one thing we can all agree on is that the eviction ban will have to end some time. No, we do not. We do not agree with that because no-fault evictions are not the norm in Europe. The Taoiseach often throws the example of Europe back at us when we try to change legislation and normal practices in this country. This is not the norm in Europe; Lorcan Sirr said so on radio this morning and we have repeatedly made that argument in this House.

People need fixity of tenure. That is an age-old demand of the Land League and we still have not achieved it after 100 years of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael rule this State. The Government needs to look at the legislation and maintain the ban on no-fault evictions. If people wreck the gaff, do not pay their rent or cause antisocial problems ,there should be evictions but where there is no fault, evictions should not happen, end of story.

The Taoiseach argues that the Government gave people a few more months to find an alternative. They have not found an alternative so where do they go?

We say they need to stay where they are. Rather than go on the streets, they need to stay where they are.

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