Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD has welcomed the passage of the Residential Tenancies Act 2020.

The Bill modifies the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to prevent any notices of termination served by landlords from taking effect during the period of level five restrictions.

The Minister brought the emergency legislation through the Oireachtas this week on the back of the introduction of Level 5 restrictions country-wide. It has since passed all stages in the Dáil and Seanad and will be signed into law by President Higgins.

Commenting Minister O’Brien said:

This new Bill will ensure that in future, where severe restrictions on peoples’ movement are imposed, these protections would automatically kick-in. A ‘grace-period’ will also be built into the Bill whereby a person cannot be evicted in the ten days following the lifting of restrictions.

The Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 which came into effect on 1st August already protects tenants experiencing rent arrears due to Covid-19 from eviction and rent increases up to 10th January 2021. The protections under that Act apply nationwide, subject to the tenant making an appropriate declaration.

This legislation is working and protecting all those who are eligible, that is any person whose income has been negatively impacted by Covid-19 and who is in arrears. Thankfully, as it stands, not many have had the need to apply for the new protections due to the range of other income supports that the State has provided through its multi-billion euro investment in our economy and society.

However, this new Residential Tenancies Bill is now needed to protect all tenants from eviction while their movement is severely restricted. These protections will apply any time that severe restrictions are placed on peoples’ movement.

The Bill will now be sent to the President for early signature.

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