People who aren't earning €140,000 are 'screwed' when it comes to finding a place to live.
That's according to The Hard Shoulder host Kieran Cuddihy, who was speaking ahead of a Dáil vote on lifting the eviction ban.
The Government looks set to win the vote after the regional group of Independent TDs agreed to support the move.
A Sinn Féin motion to extend the ban is set to be defeated.
Kieran said this will lead to more homelessness.
'That will lead to people and families becoming homeless' @kierancuddihy speaks about the impact that the eviction ban being lifted will have on renters on @TheHardShoulder pic.twitter.com/BGGKqPa2Ic
— NewstalkFM (@NewstalkFM) March 22, 2023
"We now know, for certain, that the Government will defeat that [Sinn Féin] motion," he said.
"They are going to have the support of some of the rural Independents; so they do not need the support, even of all Government TDs.
"The Sinn Féin motion will be defeated, the upshot is the eviction ban will be lifted on the 1st of April.
"That will lead to people and families becoming homeless - that is a statement of fact, not of opinion.
"Even Government defenders, Government themselves accept that reality".
'Awful reality'
Kieran said people and families in such situations have few options.
"Just imagine for a minute how awful that reality must be?" he said.
"Imagine being a family today knowing that come the 1st of April, a notice of termination... is possibly going to pop through the letterbox.
"What options have you got?
If we take it that a family needs at least two bedrooms, do you know how many two bedroom homes are available to rent in Dublin?
"I think it's less than 200; the cheapest I could find is €1,600 a month".
'Everybody else is screwed'
Kieran said people would need to be earning in excess of €140,000 to be able to afford such places.
"The average rent is €2,300 - that's the mortgage repayment to service a €500,000 loan from the bank," he said.
"You'd have to earning €140,000+ for the bank to give you that money.
"I don't know what these families are going to do, what options they have.
"I guess if they're earning over €140,000 they might find somewhere, but everybody else is screwed.
"I don't think that's a statement of opinion, I think that's a statement of fact".
Kieran said Government excuses around labour shortages, higher inflation and others are "all valid."
"The problem is you can't live in an excuse, and an excuse doesn't provide shelter for you.
"So you're still screwed, despite those excuses," he added.
