Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-14
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Alice-Mary Higgins (IND), National University of Ireland

It clearly is. The intention is to increase the pressure on vulnerable persons in emergency accommodation to accept what is deemed to be a reasonable offer, with an additional threat that if they do not do so, they could be moved to night-to-night accommodation. It cannot be read as anything other than an increasing of the pressure on people to make a decision on that. Maybe they will accept an offer of social housing they would not otherwise have accepted in some cases, but they will not in other cases and the consequence will be vulnerable persons being moved to a situation of greater vulnerability. The Minister has provided for it to happen in a way that was not there previously. There is a new lower floor to which vulnerable families in emergency accommodation can be brought. Maybe it will motivate them to accept something despite deep concerns or maybe it will put them in a more vulnerable position. The risk attached to the potential benefit of pushing them to accept something they would not otherwise versus the risk of greater vulnerability and of a move to night to night is quite significant. We cannot pretend this might not happen when the Minister has, in legislation, provided for it to happen. The consequences if it does happen need to be looked at and addressed, not simply saying we do not envisage it happening.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-14/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:15+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-14