More than 40 Offaly households facing eviction next month

Official figures indicate that at least 47 eviction notices which were served in Offaly last year will take effect when ban on no-fault evictions is lifted at the end of this month.

The figure of 47 evictions is based on data from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) on notices to quit that were served in the three months leading up to when the evictions ban was announced on October 28.

It does not include eviction notices issued since then or notices that were not notified to the RTB - meaning the actual figure for pending evictions in Offaly could be significantly higher.

In Laois, 88 notices to quit were served in the same period last year, according to the RTB's figures.

The issue has been highlighted by the Sinn Féin TD for Laois/Offaly, Brian Stanley, who described said measures being put forward by the Government to mitigate the impact of the lifting of the evictions ban on tenants as 'Mickey Mouse' proposals.

"Dozens of households across Laois and Offaly are facing eviction in a matter of days," said the TD.

"They have ten more nights with a roof over their heads and then the eviction ban will be lifted. Renters are stressed out and frightened. They are terrified of what is in front of them.

"They have been given no answers and no solutions by this Government as to what they should do or where they should go. Emergency accommodation is stretched to capacity and much of what is left is totally unsuitable.

"This Government and its predecessors have failed spectacularly in their housing policies and as a consequence, ordinary people are being punished, forced out of their homes and left with no alternatives.

"The Government has made a big deal of its decision to expand the tenant in situ scheme but that will not even make a dent in the problem. A total of 135 eviction notices are due in April in Laois and Offaly - 88 in Laois and 47 in Offaly.

"The number of families and households receiving eviction notices will increase significantly as the months roll on, as further notices to quit are due.

"However, the number of homes that the councils can buy under the 'tenant in situ' scheme is minuscule. Laois County Council can buy 10 houses under the scheme, and the same applies in Offaly. This includes the Government's expanded figures that were given to the local authorities last week.

"What happens to the other households that have received notices to quit and what about those who have yet to be notified? This is not a solution; it is a Mickey Mouse scheme," he said.

"Extending the eviction ban ensures that almost 12,000 people across this State are spared the ordeal of eviction and the fear of eviction.

"It would buy the Government time to do the things it has not done to date. Sinn Féin is calling for all remaining vacant local authority homes to be immediately revamped and put back into use and for councils to be given more powers to compulsorily purchase long-vacant homes.

"We need a minimum of 20,000 social and affordable homes to purchase and rent. We also need an emergency three-year rent freeze and a tax rebate equal to one month's rent for renters. These are solutions, along with modular homes that can be erected quickly."

"I appeal to the Minister to change tack. It is disgraceful that more than 140 years after the founding of the Irish National Land League, which fought for fair rent and fixity of tenure, renters in the 21st century, in 2023, still do not have these things," said Deputy Stanley.

At the time of writing this afternoon (Wednesday) the indications were that the Government would win a Dáil vote this afternoon on ending the eviction ban, after reaching an agreement with members of the Regional Independent Group (RIG).