Sinn Féin TDs Pearse Doherty and Pádraig MacLochlainn have called on fellow elected representatives, Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue and Fine Gael Deputy, Joe McHugh to explain why they will be voting in favour of making constituents homeless.
The north west TD’s were speaking ahead of their party’s motion to extend the ban on evictions, which will be voted on in the Dáil today.
The local TD’s claim that in nine days’ time, 88 eviction notices will fall due in county Donegal and that individuals and working families now face being made homeless in April, as a direct result of the government’s decision to end the eviction ban.
They claim Minister McConalogue and Deputy McHugh must clarify if they plan to support the first Irish government making a conscious decision to increase the number of families made homeless.
The Taoiseach meanwhile is standing by the governments decision not to extend the eviction ban.
Leo Varadkar said extending the ban would not have made a difference, it would have just pushed the problem further down the line.
The Government look to be on course to win todays Dáil vote on ending the no-fault eviction ban.
It follows Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien signalling in the Dáil last night that the Coalition will accept the Regional Independent Group’s amendments on its counter motion.
The group had been in talks with Minister O’Brien in relation to eight different amendments on wider housing policy.
Now that the Government looks certain to accept them, the Regional Independent Group TDs will support the Government’s position.
