Mayo Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh has said that the number of eviction notices served from July to September 2022 underlined the need for the government to reverse its decision to end the eviction ban.

The Residential Tenancies Board showed that 74 eviction notices were served in Mayo in just 3 months in 2022.

“The figures released by the Residential Tenancies Board today are truly shocking and seriously worrying. From July to September last year, 74 eviction notices in Mayo were served by landlords on their tenants. This is worrying given that there are only 34 properties to rent online in the County,” said Deputy Conway-Walsh.

“My office has been contacted by increasing numbers of renters who do not know what they are going to do when their eviction date comes.  Many other renters are crippled with increased rents, energy bills and the cost of living crisis.

“The latest RTB figures are much worse than expected. A huge number of these notices will now fall due in April. From July to September last year, 4,741 eviction notices across the state were served. That is over 5 times higher than the same period in 2021.

“This will mean more people than ever before will have to leave their homes. The reality is that homeless services will not be able to cope.

“The consequence will be thousands of people forced to stay with family and friends, a rise in rough sleeping, and the prospect of families with children being referred to Garda stations for a safe place to sleep.

“The government does not grasp the severity of the situation. This situation is a direct consequence of government failure. For years they have over relied on the private rental sector to meet social and affordable housing need,” she added.