Paul Murphy: Urges housing referendum, backs eviction ban
Paul Murphy spoke on eviction bans and a constitutional right to housing, saying eviction bans worked during Covid and calling for a referendum to insert a right to housing into the Constitution. He asked when the promised housing referendum will be held, when the wording will be announced, and whether it will run alongside the water referendum.
Eviction bans and Covid evidence
Paul Murphy said eviction bans work, citing the Covid-era eviction ban and a consistent fall in homelessness while it was in place. He noted that Scotland is introducing an eviction ban this winter.
Constitutional right and referendum timing
He proposed a referendum to insert a right to housing into the Constitution as the appropriate response to legal objections to a winter eviction ban. He asked when the referendum will take place and when the wording will be announced.
Legal considerations and government review
He acknowledged legal issues raised about imposing an eviction ban outside the Covid context, saying those issues cannot be ignored and that Covid provided a strong legal basis. He said the Minister keeps the matter under constant review and that legal questions were the point he had raised.
Local authority measures for HAP and RAS tenants
He highlighted that the Minister has clarified local authorities can and should buy homes where a tenant on HAP or RAS has been evicted, as a measure to prevent evictions and homelessness.
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Cora, Teachta, eviction bans work. We know they worked. We know they worked in this country during Covid when the number of homeless people came down consistently when the eviction ban was in place. We know that Scotland are introducing an eviction ban this winter, but when you were asked about it yesterday, you implied that it couldn't be done because of the Constitution. I don't agree with that interpretation, but the response to that would be to have a referendum on the right to housing and to insert that into the Constitution. The government has promised a referendum on housing in the programme for government. I would like to find out when the referendum is going to be, when will the wording be announced, and will the water referendum take place alongside it? In respect of the winter eviction ban issue that has been identified, I made it clear that Covid gave us the context to do it legally. There are legal issues, that's all I raised yesterday. Those issues cannot be ignored, is what I'm saying. I'm hearing what the Deputy is saying. I know the Minister keeps this under constant review. We did it in Covid and we had a strong legal basis to do it. So we're going to do everything possibly we can. The Minister has taken action in respect of making it clear to local authority housing that where someone's on HAP or on RAS and they've been evicted, the local authority can buy the house and should buy the house in that situation to prevent the eviction from taking place. the point that we want you to think is wrong with is to develop the functions, the public is correct, because you're allrijiell, not yet somebody who wants us to make the rheumatricabad which has changed streets but hasn't kidnapped and now it's difficult Chin barn if you have to say the cause of it. Thank you. Um, everyone, thank you very close for the years.
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