The Simon Communities of Ireland are urging parties involved in government formation talks to ensure we never again need emergency legislation to protect renters.

The homeless charities are welcoming the new laws preventing evictions and freezing rents for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

However, they are calling for a suite of new legislation to address the housing crisis so that the country is prepared for future shocks.

National spokesperson Wayne Stanley said the COVID-19 emergency legislation is welcome.

“The vista of a new wave of people and families entering homelessness in the midst of a global pandemic would have been a cruelty too far,” he said.

“However, being homeless in this emergency is the reality for thousands of people across the country.

“As the parties sit down to develop a programme for government, they must ensure they have the policies in place to ensure that we never find ourselves in this situation again.”

He said that, once the country gets through the current crisis, we need “more social and public housing and a rebalance of the Constitution to ensure a clear pathway for legislation on housing.”