Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath says a “healthy balance” needs to be struck between the rights of tenants and landlords in the coming months.
The independent deputy made the comments during a Dáil debate on a new Government bill which aims to extend the ban on rent increases and evictions until January, but only for those who’ve lost income due to the pandemic.
Sinn Féin and Labour are among those opposing the bill, with concerns raised that homelessness will increase.
Deputy McGrath says there are some instances where landlords should be allowed to take action:
“And we have situations where landlords have been tormented by tenants causing huge levels of anti-social behaviour, throwing parties, drug dealing, tormenting and abusing neighbours, and thefts.
“And we’ve seen huge parties with young people. And I’m a supporter of young people and I have a young family myself – ‘mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’. But we have seen instances in Cork where a solicitor and other neighbours had to go to court to stop these parties going on. And that’s not fair.”
