Dún Laoghaire family eviction
Deputy Boyd Barrett described the forceful eviction of a family who had always paid their rent and said the case had caused serious concern. The Minister acknowledged it was shocking, promised to speak to the Minister and council, and said the matter would be followed up.
Shortly after 9 a.m., the sheriff and ten private security employees, accompanied by two gardaí, acting on behalf of Ernst & Young receivers and a bank - I am not sure which bank - cruelly and ruthlessly evicted by force a family of four in the constituency of the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Richmond. This is a family of two working parents with two children who always paid the rent and did nothing wrong, yet Ernst & Young and a bank threw them out. I acknowledge I was in contact with the Minister and with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, which requested Ernst & Young, as I did, to allow the council to buy the property, which it was willing to do, but Ernst & Young just said, "No". Today, as we speak, that family is sitting in a car, traumatised and in shock. The mother cannot speak and the children do not know where they will sleep tonight. It is absolutely disgusting that Ernst & Young and a bank would do that. What will the Government do about it?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy. That sounds a shocking situation-----
Comment on this
-----that should never have happened. I will speak with the Minister on it and we will follow up. If the council has made an offer to buy the property, that should be facilitated and that is what should happen. We will follow up on this specific case.