WITH 205 eviction notices issued to tenants in Limerick city and county from October to December last year, Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan has called for the immediate reinstatement of the ban on no fault evictions.
His call came after the Residential Tenancies Board issued the latest eviction notice figures showing that a further 4,329 notices were issued in the last three months of 2022.
This figure included 205 notices to quit in Limerick City and County.
“These notices will fall due in April, May and June and are in addition to the almost 3,000 notices issued in the third quarter of last year which also start to fall due from April,” Deputy Quinlivan explained.
“In Limerick renters face two significant challenges in finding alternative accommodation and affording such accommodation.
“A look at Daft.ie today shows that there are twelve properties to rent across Limerick City and suburbs. The cheapest of these properties was a one-bedroom apartment at €1,140 per month.
“The result of these notices to quit will be an increase in hidden homelessness as people move in with family and friends and an increase in the number of single people and families in emergency accommodation.
“A homeless person in Limerick would be lucky to get emergency accommodation as the local stock of such options is already at capacity.
“Local Authorities are already at breaking point. Our emergency accommodation system is not be able to cope with any significant increase in homeless presentations. Many people will be forced to overhold and in some cases to sleep rough.
“The decision to end the ban on no fault evictions was wrong. It must be immediately reinstated.
“The Government must also implement emergency measures to prevent homelessness, accelerate exits from emergency accommodation and accelerate the delivery of much needed social and affordable homes,” Deputy Quinlivan added.
