A group of Tipperary councillors have co-signed a letter to trigger a full emergency meeting on the lifting of the eviction ban.
Sinn Fein’s Davy Dunne and Tony Black, along with Independent councillors Seamie Morris and Anne-Marie Ryan and WAUG’s Pat English have formally submitted the letter to the Ard Mheara.
This emergency meeting will now take place today in Clonmel to discuss how they can fight what the grouping call ‘the Government’s cruel decision’ on evictions.
Cllr. Dunne says this is putting 117 families in Tipperary at risk of eviction in just a couple of days.
“What we can achieve is have a full, open, frank discussion on all aspects of housing and especially the lifting of the “no fault” eviction ban.
“There’s a number of things we’re going to propose and we’re looking for support from across the board – from all parties and Independents. The first part of the meeting will be in public session and the second half will be in private session so we can lay everything on the table – have a frank and open discussion and we can come with solutions to some of these problems.”
The five councillors have each expressed their concerns around the growing shortage of both social and rental homes available in Tipperary, as well as their fears that the local authority will run out of emergency accommodation.
Sinn Fein’s Davy Dunne says while the problem is ultimately for the government to resolve there needs to be solutions locally as well.
“County Councillors are at the front line – I am facing four people looking at eviction down the line. One on April 1st and one at the end of April. So I want to know where are they going to go?
“I won’t be ringing the Government to find out where they’re going – I’ll be ringing the Emergency Homeless services in Tipperary to see where they go. So I want the answers as to where these people are going to go if there’s no accommodation for them.”
