#721 No Fault Evictions Ban, Final Nail In The Coffin For Small Landlords?

On this episode of the podcast, Niall is joined by economist and Sunday Times Ireland columnist Cormac Lucey to debate one of the most divisive housing proposals in years, a move by the Labour Party to ban “no fault” evictions for three years during the housing crisis.Labour housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan says evictions should no longer be “a routine feature of a broken housing system”, but critics argue the Government has already gone too far in stripping rights away from landlords.The discussion comes as Ireland’s homelessness figures continue to hit shocking new records. Latest figures show more than 17,300 people are now living in emergency accommodation across the country, including over 5,500 children. ()Niall and Cormac also examine the Government’s recently introduced six year tenancy legislation, which came into effect in March 2026. Under the new rules, many renters now receive minimum six year tenancy protections, while larger landlords face severe restrictions on ending tenancies without specific legal grounds. ()Supporters say the changes are badly needed to give renters stability and stop families being thrown out of their homes through no fault of their own. Landlords, however, warn that tighter controls and growing restrictions are pushing more property owners out of the rental market entirely, reducing supply and driving rents even higher.With eviction notices rising sharply and thousands of landlords reportedly leaving the market, the question becomes:Are stronger tenant protections the answer to Ireland’s housing emergency, or are Government policies making the crisis even worse? ()Niall and Cormac Lucey debate the economics, the politics and the human cost behind Ireland’s spiralling rental and homelessness crisis.