By Vivienne Clarke
Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien has explained that the new anti-eviction measures he will bring to Cabinet today will be “a blanket approach".
Measures that had been introduced back in August that were “very targeted” had worked and remain in place, he said. “Those measures have worked and remain in place, but they are very specific to protect the very vulnerable, the measures I am bringing to Cabinet today are a blanket approach that would ban evictions for the period of the restrictions and the reason for that is with the restrictions (5km movement), we've got to be able to help people not to move from one home to another.”
Mr O’Brien said that the measures introduced in August had been effective and the additional measures will remain in place and the protections could “kick back in” automatically should they be needed again in the event of more restrictions.
Our job is to protect public health and also to try to protect people through this and their livelihoods.
The Minister said that the anti-eviction legislation had been effective earlier this year. While notices to quit had been issued, very few were enacted or acted upon, he said. The only exceptions were for anti-social or criminal behaviour. During that period 200 notices to quit had been issued, but 184 self declarations of protection from eviction were also sought and granted in that period. “These measures are working,” he said.
“Our job is to protect public health and also to try to protect people through this and their livelihoods, it is difficult but we will put the resources behind it, we are asking people to abide by public health measures.”
Nphet has advised the Government that six weeks was the appropriate length of time for Level 5 restrictions. “We will be keeping this under review during the course of that. It needs to be a sustained length of time. That is the optimum time frame.”
