A COALITION OF Irish homeless service providers say they are “greatly disturbed” at the speed in which the new housing Bill is “being rushed” through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The 12 providers said the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 will add to the escalating homeless crisis in Ireland.
The Bill was first presented to the Dáil on 3 June, when the general principles were debated. The Bill is now set to move to stage three of the 11 stages required for a Bill to become law.
The draft Bill runs to 42 pages and primarily relates to amendments to law relating to social housing.
Proposed amendments that would require people applying for social housing to prove they are both legally resident and habitually resident in Ireland have been slammed by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) and members of the opposition.
The Bill will amend housing legislation to formally require applicants to be lawfully resident in the State and to meet a new “habitual residence” test.
Housing Minister James Browne said the changes are designed to bring greater clarity to the rules around who qualifies for social housing support, while placing existing residency requirements on a statutory footing.
Concerns hinge mainly on the Bill leading to more people sleeping rough at a time when homeless figures hit record highs each month, and that it will create further barriers for vulnerable people to access housing.
The coalition of charities, which have banded together publicly for the first time to release a joint statement on the matter, said they are shocked that the Bill “is being rushed through without normal consultation and consideration”.
They further said their concerns about the potential effects on vulnerable people are being ignored.
The coalition – which includes Crosscare, Depaul Ireland, Dublin Homeless Network and Dublin Simon Community – outlined the groups of people it believes will be negatively impacted by the legislation.
Among these groups are Irish citizens who are returning to live in Ireland after periods living abroad and people who are fleeing domestic violence in an attempt to keep themselves and their children safe.
It also said it had concern that families currently on social housing waiting lists may have their housing supports removed, and the legislation would impact people who are homeless and seeking emergency support to get off the streets.
People who have been granted asylum in Ireland and those who have been sex trafficked into the country, as well as Travellers, would also be among those who could be impacted, the group said.
The coalition said it is asking for time to discuss several “critical issues” in the Bill, including the need for any appeals’ mechanism to be independent and extended to those in need of emergency accommodation.
It called for Browne to pause the progression of the Bill to “allow full and transparent scrutiny”, publish the policy and evidence underpinning the proposals, and engage in consultation with affected communities and NGOs.
The other members of the coalition are: the National Traveller Women’s Forum, Novas, the Peter McVerry Trust, Respond, Simon Communities of Ireland, Threshold, Pavee Point Traveller and Roma Center, and the Irish Traveller Movement.