Council passes motion urging Minister O’Brien to declare housing emergency

*Minister for Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Darragh O’Brien (FF) in Drumline. Photograph: Joe Buckley

MINISTER FOR HOUSING, DARRAGH O’BRIEN (FF) will be requested to declare a housing emergency following the passing of a motion in Clare County Council.

An example set by elected representatives in Limerick City and County Council was the inspiration for a proposal put before Clare County Council this week.

In June, the Limerick local authority held a special meeting on the back of request of Sinn Féin and Green councillors to declare a housing emergency and use special powers to implement a moratorium on evictions, as was the case during the pandemic, and to raise the income thresholds for social housing supports for a three month period, with a review period after the same timeframe.

Shannon-based, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) admitted this gave her the idea to put a similar proposal before Clare County Council. Her motion urged the local authority to call on the Housing Minister “to declare a housing emergency and use emergency powers to introduce an immediate moratorium on evictions, similar to that during COVID, to be reviewed after three months and that the Minister increase the income threshold limits for social housing support, during this time”.

Speaking on Monday, Cllr McGettigan said the county and country was in the middle of “a housing emergency”. She said the squeezed middle were struggling to pay rent and, in some cases are “only a few euros” above thresholds to qualify for housing support. “More and more families are in overcrowded conditions; coach surfing seems to be the norm”.

An “immediate ban on evictions is needed,” she believed while praising the work of the Council’s homeless action team. McGettigan added, “Those offered a mortgage which is simply not enough to buy are locked out of the market, they are earning too much to be included for social housing but too little to get a mortgage”.

“We have to address the reality of this housing crisis, we need to give hope to families,” Sinn Féin’s sole politician in the county said. Donna also informed the meeting that she recently a letter from NUIG to her home in Shannon asking the public to consider offering rooms for student accommodation.

Cllr PJ Ryan (IND) seconded the motion with Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) confirming a letter will be issued to the Minister.