HOLLY SEES RED OVER EVICTIONS
Soc Dem leader calls for complete ban
A BAN on no-fault evictions is a red line for the Social Democrats in any government deal after the next general election, its leader pledged.
Holly Cairns said the housing crisis has gone from an emergency to a “complete disaster”.
Speaking at her first party conference as leader yesterday she called for a “complete ban” on vulture funds bulk buying homes.
She continued: “I think we need to introduce basic protection for renters. A ban on no fault evictions really is the bare minimum across the rest of Europe so there’d have to be a commitment to finally protect renters in such an unstable and precarious market.
“These are all things that we need because we’re in a complete crisis situation. It’s gone from a housing emergency to a complete disaster.”
Ms Cairns said another key policy was the “accelerated implementation” of Slaintecare and the delivery of affordable and social homes. She continued: “Any programme for government that isn’t committed to that isn’t one we want to be part of. Ms Cairns also said people were disillusioned because Ireland is one of the richest countries in the world yet we have 4,000 children growing up in emergency accommodation. She pointed to the gulf between “full employment and half a million adults living in their childhood bedrooms” and “between an €8billion surplus and over 600,000 people living in poverty”. She vowed the Soc Dems in government would deliver 50,000 annually, including 10,000 affordable houses and 12,000 social homes. Meanwhile, party founders and former leaders Catherine Murphy and Roisin Shortall said they both plan to run in the general election.
We need to introduce basic protection for renters HOLLY CAIRNS SPEAKING YESTERDAY