Update 21:00 23/03/22
Despite earlier confirming his intention to abstain, Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara voted against the Government in this evening’s vote, with Michael Fitzmaurice instead pairing with Minister Simon Coveney.
A pairing arrangement was also secured ahead of the vote for Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey who was unable to attend, after recently being hospitalised, due to illness.
The Government won the vote opposing Sinn Féin’s motion, with 83 voting with it and 68 against.
A Clare Independent TD says he’ll abstain from this evening’s vote on the eviction ban, despite voicing opposition towards the Government’s position.
The government is on course to win a vote on ending the eviction ban in the Dail later today, after an agreement has been reached with the Rural Independent Group.
The eviction ban for renters looks set to end on March 31st, as the government is on course to win a Dáil vote this afternoon on the issue.
The Sinn Fein motion, which seeks to extend the ban, looks set to be defeated after the coalition reached agreement with TDs in the Regional Independent Group.
Yesterday the government announced measures to deal with the housing crisis, including more social housing, a wider tenant-in-situ scheme and tax changes for landlords.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara is in a pairing arrangement with Minister Simon Coveney, who’s currenty on a trade mission in Australia.
The Scariff Deputy is opposed to the Government’s position, but says he doesn’t entirely agree with Sinn Féin either.
He’s confirmed he’ll honour the arrangement and abstain from voting later, as he doesn’t believe it’s value for taxpayers money for the Minister to cut short his visit, when the two votes will cancel each other out.
Deputy McNamara believes an extension of the eviction ban til the new year won’t make any difference to the current housing crisis
Clare TD Violet Ann Wynne has abstained from the majority of Dáil votes since the beginning of this year, as she’s been in a pairing arrangement with Minister Helen McEntee, who’s on maternity leave.
The former Sinn Féin, now Independent TD confirmed last night, however, that she’s withdrawing from the pairing arrangement on this occasion, because as a homeless person, she can’t ignore a vote that could leave another family without a home.
Deputy Wynne says the Government needs to listen to the concerns raised by ordinary citizens.
A Clare Government TD admits that today’s vote will likely be the toughest in the lifetime of the Government, saying the issue is divisive and upsetting.
Meelick Fianna Fáil Deputy Cathal Crowe will be supporting the Government, as he believes real solutions to the housing crisis are being put forward by the coalition.
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