FIANNA FÁIL TD Barry Cowen has been criticised for comparing extending the eviction ban to giving free sweets to children during this morning’s confidence motion.
The confidence motion was won by the Government with support from Independent TDs, with 86 votes in favour compared to 67 votes against.
Speaking during the motion, Cowen told the Dáil:
“The crisis relating to evictions is, of course, immediate. We all agree on that.
“Given that fact, one would think opposition members would assist their councillor colleagues by exerting influence on councils to respond positively to the Government’s recent instructions and demands for councils to purchase units impacted by eviction notices, allowing tenants to remain in situ, and applying that policy to those who are or are not on housing lists. That is the solution.
“Keeping or extending the ban is not necessarily going to solve this crisis. It is like making sweets free for children. It is fine for a little while, but ultimately detrimental to the greater need.”
He called for opposition politicians to work with local authorities and councillors around the country, particularly on adopting the updated tenant in situ scheme
Immediately following his remarks, there was audible reaction from the Opposition benches, particularly Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who labelled the remarks as “disgraceful”.
In response, Cowen said:
“Deputy Ó Ríordáin’s remarks are disgraceful.”
Speaking to The Journal following the motion, Ó Ríordáin called for Cowen to apologise for the remarks.
Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan was also critical of Cowen’s comments, saying it was a “new low” for Government TDs.
“Comparing protecting renters who’re facing eviction and homelessness with children getting free sweets shows a despicable lack of compassion and understanding of the stress that people who lose their homes go through,” O’Callaghan told The Journal.
“Government TDs may be far removed from the pressures that renters faced – however these comments are a new low. They are completely out of touch with the reality that renters getting notices to quit face.
“Deputy Cowen should apologise to renters and those who are sick with worry in the pit of their stomachs about the prospect of getting evicted with nowhere to go.”
However, Cowen has defended his speech as an analogy and said that opposition TDs needed to work with local authorities to ensure that the tenant in situ scheme is applied locally.
“I think they should concentrate on taking my advice and insisting that councils pursue the tenant in situ scheme, which is a long term solution to cases rather that the stop gap of extending the ban,” Cowen said.
There was criticism over Labour’s decision to bring forward a motion of no-confidence, which was replaced by the Government’s confidence motion.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described it as “profoundly disingenuous” and that it was an act of “political theatre”.
In particular, he said that if the Opposition had won, the Government and Dáil would have been dissolved and that would prevent legislation to deal with the housing crisis from passing for several months.
Meanwhile, the opposition lashed into the Government over their decision to end the eviction ban.
Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald accused the Government of turning the “housing crisis into a housing emergency into a housing disaster”.
She added: “Nero fiddles, while Rome burns.”
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