A Dublin family of six have opened up about facing homelessness at the end of the month due to the lifting of the eviction ban.
Earlier this week the Government announced the eviction ban would be lifted from March 31, arguing that keeping the ban in place would drive more landlords from the market. The decision has attracted fierce criticism and was labelled "cruel and heartless" by Sinn Féin’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty in the Dail today.
Speaking to RTE's Morning Ireland, a family of six living in Donabate said they fear becoming homeless next month as the house they have rented for the past three years is being sold by the landlord. The family, who are HAP tenants, have to be out of the house by April 12 but have not found a new place stay.
Read more: Leo Varadkar blasts back in landlord and tenant row
Mum-of-four Agia said: "Since the day we received the notice we started looking for houses. The priority for us is to not change the children's school because the children are very depressed about that.
"We are looking for houses in the same place but unfortunately to this day we are unlucky. I've (viewed) five houses. The last house I saw in Lucan, I came and there was about 100 people standing outside in the queue to see this house.
"There's no hope if so many people come to visit one house." She believes being a HAP tenant is putting her at a disadvantage of finding a property to rent. However, she is hoping her family will get lucky at the last minute.
She said: "My eight, almost nine-year-old son is stressing and saying he doesn't want to change schools because he has lots of friends over here. He said he can't leave this place
"I am still hoping, honestly I am still hoping. I'm trying my best but I'm not God you know, I have no magic stick. I really hope in the last minute some miracle will happen and we'll find a house. But from another side, I'm hopeless because each time I send an email there's no reply.
"If we have to go into emergency accommodation and the place isn't suitable for my children, then unfortunately I will have to leave the country." The family are originally from Latvia, and Agia said she may have to temporarily move back there and pull her children out of their schools here if they do not find somewhere to live.
"Maybe for a while, until my husband finds a house," she said. "There's no other option."
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