Increased funding, wraparound services, and targeted measures to tackle homelessness are also under consideration.
MON, 06 MAR, 2023 – 02:00
CIARA PHELAN, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Coalition leaders have been told to consider new taxation benefits for small landlords if the ban on evictions is extended beyond the end of March.
Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin, and Eamon Ryan will meet on Monday to consider whether to extend the existing eviction ban following advice from Attorney General Rossa Fanning.
Mr Fanning has advised the Government that if there is an extension to the eviction ban, it has to be justifiable for the market and the rights of landlords.
The Government has separately been advised by officials that if the ban goes beyond the end of this month, taxation measures should be considered for small landlords.
There have been discussions about making the rent-a-room tax relief applicable to all small landlords.
It currently only applies if the landlord is living in the property and renting out a room, which sees them exempt from income tax on the amount the tenant pays for rent, up to €14,000 a year in tax.
Another taxation measure that has been mooted is exempting small landlords from paying the local property tax.
However, it is understood the position of officials in the Department of Housing is to allow the eviction ban to expire as planned on March 31, as such taxation measures would cost the State “big money”, a source said.
Increased funding, wraparound services, and targeted measures to tackle homelessness are also under consideration, according to a senior Government source, if the ban is not extended.
A second senior source stressed no decision had been taken on the matter, and that Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien would attend part of the meeting with the Coalition leaders.
If a decision is made to extend the ban, it is understood it would have to be “time-bound”, the source added.
A number of options are under consideration when the leaders meet, but “everything is in the mix”, including an extension on the moratorium of evictions but with exemptions for landlords who want to move back into their property.
Another option that has been discussed is to legislate for a seasonal ban to cover the winter months, similar to the measure in France which runs from November to April. However, a Government source said this was unlikely to happen.
Sinn Féin TD Louise O’Reilly said the ban was introduced as an emergency measure, but the emergency “is not over” and so the eviction ban should be continued.
Article Source – Call for tax breaks as leaders consider extending eviction ban
– Irish examiner – Ciara Phelan