Waterford families ‘being thrown to the wolves’ amid threat of eviction

Waterford families are “being thrown to the wolves” amid the threat of eviction, the Dáil has heard.

Waterford Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane raised the issue during a recent ‘Questions on Policy or Legislation’ session.

Deputy Cullinane said: “The Taoiseach says time and again that housing is the number one issue for this Government, and he accepts that there is a housing crisis.

“Notices to quit are on the increase in every county, including mine, Waterford. Last week, I met with three families, all of which have children, who received notices to quit.

“They are very worried and stressed about having to find alternative accommodation, which the Taoiseach knows is not easy.

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“They have been getting on to letting agencies and asking me and others to support them. It is a really stressful situation.”

He went on to outline how the Tenant In Situ (TIS) Scheme could be used to help these families.

“Obviously, I contacted the local council to see what support it can give, and one of the few options was the Tenant In Situ Scheme.

“The senior management in the council told me that the best way they can describe the Government's response to this issue is that it turned the funding down to a trickle.”

He highlighted a reduction in funding for the scheme in Waterford and called for the issue of funding to be revisited.

“In 2023, the council was able to purchase 29 homes in Waterford under the Tenant in Situ Scheme.

“In 2024, it was 39 homes, but because the Government dramatically reduced the funding last year, it was four homes.

“The council is telling me that this year, it still has not received its allocation. I ask the Taoiseach to look at this issue again because this scheme is one of the few supports that is available and is actually working for those families.”

In response to Deputy Cullinane, Taoiseach Micheál Martin explained why there were reductions in funding under the scheme.

Deputy Martin said: “Actually, the Government brought in the tenant in situ scheme and provided substantial funding.

“In some areas - I am not saying in Waterford - the scheme broadened and was used by local authorities for investments that should never have occurred.

“We had cases where some local authorities were spending €50,000 to €60,000 on the refurbishment of houses.

“The whole purpose of the tenant in situ scheme was to stop people going into homelessness immediately, so the house was purchased.

“Suddenly, the fund was getting used for much broader purposes. There was a need to review it and target it at those who were in an immediate danger of homelessness.”

At this point, Deputy Cullinane interjected to say that the Government “gutted” the scheme. However, the Taoiseach rebuked this comment.

“We did not gut it because the same funding was applied, and that additional funding was applied.

“Some local authorities were approaching it differently - there is no question that they were - with different applications that were unnecessary in my view.

“It tends to happen when funding and so on gets allocated like that. There has been engagement with the local authorities and the Minister, and we have a scheme in place.”

Deputy Martin concluded by saying that the scheme is now more focused and targeted towards people who need housing support.

Deputy Cullinane took to social media in the aftermath of the exchange. In the post, he stated that the families were “being thrown to the wolves by a bad Government”.

He reiterated his call for funding cuts to the Tenant In Situ Scheme to be reversed.