Clare’s Threshold representative is warning of a bleak year ahead for many people in rental accommodation.
It comes amid concern that homeless services will be overwhelmed from March onwards, if the winter evictions ban isn’t extended.
The winter evictions ban came into force in November and was intended to prevent people from having to access homeless services, at a time when the state found it increasingly difficult to find accommodation for refugees.
While some 5,800 modular and refurbished accommodation places will come on stream in the coming months, it isn’t expected to be enough.
The ban is due to last until April 1st and while no decision has yet been made on whether it will be extended, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said an extension will be dependent on homelessness figures.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland says 4 in every 10 house sales last year were small landlords getting out of the rental market, with more expected to continue to leave the market this coming year.
Threshold’s Western Regional Service Manager for the Midwest says an extremely bleak year lies ahead for some tenants.
Karina Timothy fears homeless services will be overwhelmed in April, if measures aren’t taken to provide security of tenure for renters.
The President of the Clare branch of St Vincent De Paul insists there’s an urgent need to move away from temporary fixes.
Denis Carty says their volunteers are coming across a large number of people who are working but are losing their homes and are under considerable stress as they try to find new accommodation.
He believes the lack of social housing is the real problem and that this needs to be addressed.
Listen back to the full interview here:
