Louth TD calls for easier evictions of "chaotic tenants"

Ruairí Ó Murchú, Sinn Féin TD for Louth, has called for increased powers for local authorities to evict "chaotic" tenants. 

Deputy Ó Murchú told the Dáil he does not believe local authorities like Louth County Council, have the necessary powers to deal with tenants involved in "criminality and drug-dealing".

He said approved housing bodies (AHBs) have greater levels of power in compared to local authorities in relation to the "nuclear action of eviction."

AHBs are independent, not-for-profit organisation that provide affordable rental housing for those who can't afford to rent in the private sector. 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, disputed the claim that AHBs have more power, but said they have "a different way of operating." 

"They lay it down from the beginning," he said.

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He continued "local authorities have struggled with this for a long time. My own belief is that persistent misbehaviour and so on should mean you lose the tenancy."

Deputy Ó Murchú said that although Louth County Council have worked alongside Gardaí in dealing with tenants, it does not have "the necessary tools, and that is the problem." 

He said instead, "we have attempted to move people sideways to deal with the issue".