Holly Cairns says an eviction ban is red line for Social Democrats to ...
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns (Brian Lawless/PA)
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns has said a ban on no-fault evictions would be a red line for her party in any government negotiations after the next general election.
Ms Cairns was speaking on Saturday at the Social Democrats annual conference in UCD where hundreds of party members are gathering in advance of June’s local and European elections.
Ahead of a possible general election later this year, Ms Cairns said that there needed to be new legislation to protect renters in any future programme for government.
“Certainly I think we need to introduce basic protection for renters,” she said.
“When we talk about a ban on no fault evictions like that really is the bare minimum across the rest of Europe so there'd have to be a commitment to finally protect renters in such an unstable and precarious market.
“These are all things that we need because we're in a complete crisis situation. It's gone from a housing emergency to a complete disaster.
“So things like the complete ban and the bulk buying of homes – we’re in a crisis situation – a ban on evictions. It's because of the crisis situation that we're in. So we think these things are essential at this moment.”
She said another key policy was the “accelerated implementation” of the cross-party healthcare reform policy, Sláintecare and the delivery of affordable homes.
“Our laser focus will be on the delivery of affordable social homes and any programme for government that isn’t committed to that isn’t one we want to be part of,” she said
Ms Cairns again ruled out a future merger or alliance with the Labour Party, saying: “You could talk about policies all day. It's what you do with those policies when you get close to power, that's the true test of any left party in government and they failed that test.”
Ms Cairns said her party would be advocating for two Yes votes in the referendums on family and care next month. She said her party would target as many seats as possible in the June local elections.
The party currently has 22 councillors.
Meanwhile, her predecessors as leaders, Catherine Murphy and Róisín Shortall, said they both intended to run in the general election. “As of today that’s the plan,” Murphy said with Ms Shortall adding: “We’re clear, that’s the plan.”
