Marian Harkin urges extension of eviction moratorium amid COVID
Marian Harkin spoke on 8 July 2020, urging an immediate extension of the moratorium on evictions and stronger protections for renters and those in mortgage arrears caused by COVID-19. She warned the government must ensure ordinary people do not pay the price of the economic fallout and backed a private member's bill brought forward by the Labour Party.
Call for immediate action
Marian Harkin argued the government has a "real opportunity" to shape its response to the economic fallout from COVID-19 and called for action now rather than delay. She said protections for renters and those in mortgage arrears must start immediately to give people hope and to prevent the crisis from exacerbating housing inequalities.
Concerns about arrears and housing insecurity
Harkin noted that before the pandemic there were over 27,000 people in long-term rent arrears and that COVID-19 has simply exacerbated that problem. She described the fear many families and individuals feel about losing their homes and stressed the need for an extension of the moratorium so people could get through the crisis.
Reference to UN findings and vulture funds
She recalled that in March the United Nations condemned Ireland for allowing multinational vulture funds to buy up properties and rent them at high levels, calling the practice egregious. Harkin used that finding to underline the need to prevent private interests from profiting as people struggle to pay rent.
Support for a referendum and the Labour Party bill
Harkin referenced the programme for government commitment to a referendum on housing and said the commitment must translate into immediate measures. She thanked the Labour Party for bringing forward a private member's bill, saying it highlights the crucial issue of housing insecurity and is an appropriate place to start.
Demands on banks and financial institutions
She urged the government to ensure banks and financial institutions do not charge penalties or surcharges on mortgage arrears incurred during the pandemic. Harkin insisted that "nobody can profit from this pandemic" and that the state must prevent private entities from making people pay for the crisis.
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Yes, Cancórle, up in the gods here. Thank you. Thank you, Cancórle. Minister, can I start by saying to you that this government has a real opportunity here to shape how it responds to the economic fallout from the COVID-19 crisis and how it responds to the significant challenges that will be faced by families, by individuals as they struggle to pay their mortgages or to pay their rent. If we're to learn any lessons from the last crisis, it has to be that ordinary people do not pay the price for the economic collapse. The last time, we bailed out our financial institutions and we socialised the bank debt. Ordinary people pay the price and many people are still paying a price. as their homes and lands are under threat. In March of this year, the United Nations condemned Ireland for allowing multinational vulture funds to buy up vast numbers of properties and rent them out at sky-high rents. It described this practice in Ireland as an egregious practice. Now, that's what happened the last time. And we know we now have a chance to change our response and support our citizens. It's important to state that before we entered the COVID crisis, we had over 27,000 people in long term rent arrears. So for those people, COVID-19 has simply exacerbated the problem. In the programme for government, the government has promised a referendum on housing. If that commitment is real, and I believe it is, then we need to make a start now. Today, we cannot say we will start tomorrow or the next day. We cannot say we will protect our renters. We will protect those in mortgage arrears because of COVID-19. But we'll do it next week or next year. We have to start now. Everybody agrees this is a time of unprecedented change and unprecedented challenge. And we need to respond to it in an unprecedented way. And that way, we'll have to ensure that the COVID-19 crisis will not exacerbate the current inequalities in the housing sector. So in that context, I want to thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this member's bill. Because it highlights the crucial issue that many people are really fearful. And many people are really concerned about having a roof over their heads. In three months, in three months, in three months, in three months, in three months, in three months, in six months, as TDs, we meet them, we read their emails, we take their telephone calls. Now, if they knew that there would be an extension to the moratorium, then they'd have some hope. They'd have some hope that they too could get through this crisis. I've spoken about help for small businesses. And the core of it is to give people hope to start again. Again, if we extend this moratorium on evictions, it will give people hope that they can continue. So finally, can I say that in order to give people belief that this government will support them as citizens, we have to ensure that the banks and the financial institutions do not charge penalties or surcharges on mortgage arrears that have occurred during this period. Nobody can profit from this pandemic. Nobody can get rich on the backs of others. And nobody can deny hope to those who struggle to pay their mortgages or pay their rent. This government is in a position to ensure that nobody profits. And this private member's bill is as good a place as any to start. Thank you, Deputy.
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