AS the Government ends the eviction ban, Limerick City and County Council has confirmed that there is no capacity for homeless accommodation in the city.
That’s according to Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan who said that the city’s three government TDs must now explain to local people facing eviction where they are to go when the ban ends.
A Sinn Féin motion to extend the eviction ban and introduce immediate solutions to the housing crisis will be debated in the Dáil on Tuesday and voted on Wednesday.
Deputy Quinlivan said that the council had confirmed to him on more than one occasion that there is zero capacity for homeless accommodation in Limerick.
“It is shocking that the government is going ahead with ending the eviction ban, which will see families across Limerick with nowhere to live in a few weeks. There isn’t any capacity in the local homeless services and people won’t have anywhere to go.
“For renters this is a double-edged sword. On one side, they face the possibility of being evicted from their home and on the other, they see the limited availability and extremely high cost of rented properties in Limerick. They know that they have little chance of affording one of these scarce rental properties.
“Deputies Willie O’Dea, Brian Leddin and Kieran O’Donnell must tell those facing homelessness where they are supposed to live.
“It is blatantly clear that the government has no plan to deal with eviction notices. There are families, single people and pensioners right across Limerick who will have nowhere to go,” Deputy Quinlivan declared.
“It is unacceptable that we have heard nothing from Limerick’s government TDs about what support those people will receive. That is why the government must extend the ban on evictions.
“The housing crisis is devastating the lives of people across Limerick who are trapped paying sky high rents, in overcrowded accommodation or putting their lives on hold until they can have a home to call their own,” he added.
