The Government has approved legislation, the Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Bill 2022, which will defer no fault tenancy terminations that are due to occur during the coming winter months from taking effect until after 31 March 2023
Any person who has had a valid ‘no fault’ notice of termination served, will not have their tenancy terminated during the winter emergency period. The deferred date for the termination of such a tenancy will take effect based on a number of factors (that is, the date that the notice was served and the duration of the relevant tenancy) on a phased basis between 1 April - 18 June 2023.
During the Debate/Second Stage of the enactment of the Bill, Francis delivered the following statement:
I’d like to begin by welcoming the eviction moratorium which will, as it did during Covid, provide greater security for tenants and prevent families and individuals from entering homelessness and emergency accommodation.
The winter months can be the most difficult and stressful time of year for many families facing significant costs and expenses as we approach the festive season. So to be able to provide comfort and security to the many households fearing evictions is very welcome.
However, we know that this is a temporary measure to provide temporary relief and for many cases, it’s simply pressing pause on an inevitable reality. At the center of Green Party housing policy is affordability and security - last year the government introduced tenancies of indefinite duration, and increased the periods for notices to quit which will mean no tenancy will have a termination notice period of less than 90 days. The LDA will be constructing 30,000 Cost-rental units.
Regarding the homelessness crisis, I believe all political parties, the department and local authorities wish to solve this crisis, and ongoing measures are being put in place and should continue until we find ourselves in a position akin to Finland.
Finland is an example we can follow being the only EU country to continuously reduce homelessness - the success of their story is not miraculous, it’s all down to Housing First. I therefore would like to use this opportunity to ask the Minister and his Department to continue to improve and expand our Housing First policy to solve our homelessness crisis.
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