COVID-19: Government to announce ban on evictions and rent increases
The Government is set to announce a three-month ban on evictions and rent increases.
Reports of the measures to help tenants emerged as the Dáil met today to push through unprecedented new emergency laws as part of the fight to combat the coronavirus crisis.
RTÉ reported that Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy is to unveil legislation to help renters. It is understood this will include a temporary ban on evictions for an initial period of three months.
Addressing the Dáil earlier, Health Minister Simon Harris said Covid-19 is having an immense impact on society and that we are living in “unparalleled” and “extraordinary circumstances”.
Introducing the legislation, he said the government’s primary objective was to safeguard the lives of citizens and to ensure that they had sufficient financial resources until the crisis had passed.
The minister said we are living in extraordinary times and thanked health and frontline staff for making massive personal sacrifices. He said their bravery and courage was matched by the generosity of those who were volunteering to be on call for Ireland.
Minister Harris confirmed up to 15,000 people in the Republic will be tested every day over the coming weeks. He said we will know my March 29 if the emergency measures put into place since last week are working.
More details to follow.
