Oireachtas Committee Urges Emergency Ban on No-Fault Evictions Amid Rising Homelessness

The Oireachtas Committee on Housing recommends the government consider reintroducing an emergency ban on no-fault evictions to address rising homelessness. This follows a previous moratorium from October 2022 to April 2023, which ended controversially.

Committee members urge Minister for Housing James Browne to review all options, including a temporary emergency ban, alongside other measures to alleviate pressure on homeless services. Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin and Social Democrats' Rory Hearne advocate for a more extensive three-year ban on no-fault evictions to prevent renters from becoming homeless.

Additional recommendations include holding a referendum for a constitutional right to housing, implementing greater safeguards to prevent child homelessness—such as minimum time in emergency accommodation and tracking individual children's duration—and increasing funding for homeless prevention schemes like tenant-in-situ. The committee also calls for more social homes for those exiting homelessness and increased funding for affordable housing.

Furthermore, the report suggests collaboration between the Departments of Housing and Justice to prevent individuals in direct provision from becoming homeless upon exiting accommodation. Committee chair Micheál Carrigy expressed deep concern over rising homelessness across all demographics and urged an emergency package to meet the 2030 target of ending long-term homelessness. The report, based on public meetings on December 16, 2025, contains 14 recommendations.