Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Just before the summer, we voted in this House to lift the eviction ban that protected renters in the course of the Covid emergency. We are seeing new restrictions in Dublin and, as my colleague referred to here, many people in the events, arts, hospitality and restaurant sectors have been told their jobs are likely to be lost by the weekend. We are aware that a disproportionate number of these people are renters, that renters were most affected by the job losses back in March, and that they will be most affected by the new restrictions coming in. For renters, support and security are essential. I ask that the relevant Minister come to this House to review the ban on evictions. We were told the legal advice underpinning the ban on evictions was that people were being asked not to move. We are told this week that people in Dublin are being asked not to move. We need emergency support to bring back the ban on evictions and the enhanced rent supplement that was applied.

Threshold has said in a report it sent to me that, from March to August of this year, 163 people have been threatened with eviction and served with eviction notices.The other day, somebody had to have nine people troop through the house in the middle of a Covid-19 emergency because the landlord was selling over 12 units in the house and was interviewing potential buyers. If we are asking people to restrict their movements and limit contacts, we must have supports in place now, as we did in March. The Minister with responsibility for housing should immediately come to the House to address the issue of the enhanced rent supplement that renters need and we are relying on. We have reverted to the old rules, and we must also reinstate the eviction ban.

I also raise the review of co-living and change of use applications. Over the summer, we have seen some developers either apply for co-living developments or move to apply for them while the Minister has said they are under review. There is a planning application going through in my area that is to change student accommodation into tourist and visitor accommodation. The argument is that the international student market is collapsing but the domestic tourism market is not. We need to get a hold on our planning system to try to build the right type of housing. Co-living student and tourist accommodation is not what we require and I would like to see an update, three months on, for the co-living review.