The Government has this evening won a vote on the eviction ban, securing a majority of 83 votes to 68 in the Dáil on Wednesday.
There is more trouble in store for the coalition, however, as the Green Party will now likely punish Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan for voting against the Government on the vote, the Irish Mirror reports. Deputy Hourigan had signalled as early as last weekend that she would defy the party whip and vote in line with Sinn Fein who were calling for the ban to be extended.
Deputy Hourigan's first two votes in the Dáil, which were on amendments that the Regional Independents and Aontú made to the Government's countermotion. However, on the third and fourth vote, which were on the Government's countermotion, she voted against the Government and in line with Sinn Féin and other opposition parties.
Read more: Government pledges 'safety net' measures for renters as they stand firm on lifting eviction ban
While there was doubt about what her Green Party colleague Patrick Costello would do, he ultimately voted in line with the Government. The Government won the vote on its countermotion by 83 votes to 68.
Sinn Fein, the Labour Party, People Before Profit and the Rural Independents all voted against the Government. The Government won on four separate eviction ban votes.
The first vote was on an amendment made by the Regional Independents. The second vote focused on an amendment made by Aontú's Peadar Tóibín calling for people who were pregnant or had disability or cancer to be excluded from eviction. This vote was carried out twice, both by electronic means and by roll call.
The third vote was on the Government's countermotion to Sinn Féin's original motion calling for the eviction ban to be extended. The fate of the vote was up in the air on Wednesday morning as the votes of the Regional Independent group were undecided.
Ahead of the vote, Labour TD Ged Nash raised a point of order to ask the Taoiseach "how much it cost the Government to buy the votes of the Regional Independents". It followed concessions by the Government after the technical group issued a list of eight demands in return for their support.
The Ceann Comhairle did not agree with the point of order. Wexford TD Verona Murphy confirmed just an hour before the vote that she could not support the Government.
She made the decision following a meeting with Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien. “As outlined in many speeches in the house, I have sought a reduction in densities required by the 2009 guidelines to allow for viable development,” she said.
“Lower densities allow for development of viable house types. The introduction of viability as a planning consideration is central to unlocking the housing supply problem.
“The proposed Guidelines actually seek to increase densities not reduce them. These proposals demonstrate that government do not understand the fundamental issue in housing supply.
“You cannot solve a problem if you do not recognise it exists. If the proposals as provided today by the Minister are implemented the supply problem will only get worse.
“In adopting this strategy the Government will not be able to deliver on its commitment to the regional group in relation to viability. Planning permissions will remain inactivated.”
One of the other Regional Independent TDs told the Irish Mirror that following a list of demands in return for their support, they achieved nearly everything they had asked for. They stated that the Government has one eye on next week’s motion of no confidence that will be tabled by the Labour Party, where they said support will be more important.
The Irish Mirror understands that a Green Party decision on Deputy Hourigan’s decision to vote against the Government will be made in the coming hours. Prior to the vote, her party colleague Minister Ossian Smyth said that voting against the Government would be a " very serious matter".
He said: "It destabilises a government if TDs are voting against the government."
“We have a programme for government, in our case it was endorsed by 76% of members, so we have a programme to implement.
“And if somebody votes against the government, everybody knows what the sanction is.”
Ms Hourigan was readmitted to the Green Party in November after a six-month suspension after voting against the Government whip on the National Maternity Hospital. The Government put down a countermotion to be voted on in the Dáil after Sinn Fein put down its own motion calling for the eviction ban to be extended.
The coalition said that it would amend the HAP scheme, extend the tenant in situ scheme, change the eligibility for the Caoí Conaithe scheme and extend the Rent a Room Scheme in certain circumstances. Tenants will also be given first refusal to buy a property if it is sold by a landlord.
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