Sinn Féin has said Government policy will evict thousands of families and working people into homelessness in just 48 hours time when the eviction ban is lifted.
During heated Dáil exchanges, Tánaiste Micheál Martin stated that an indefinite eviction ban would make matters far worse and create more homelessness in the long-term.
Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty said there is despair in the country as people are running out of options to put a roof over their heads.
Mr Martin responded saying housing is the Government's top priority and progress is being made.
The scheme to allow local authorities buy homes for people facing eviction has been expanded and 1,000 more homes will be quickly leased, he said.
Then in a robust and sometimes chaotic debate both the Tánaiste and Sinn Féin accused each other of misleading the house.
"Persist with this, and I will suspend the House," Ceann Comhairle warns Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty during heated debate with the Tánaiste Micheál Martin over the eviction ban pic.twitter.com/7wxu52oJZN
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 30, 2023
Mr Martin cut short his answer arguing there was no point continuing because he was being repeatedly shouted down by Sinn Féin TDs - and he questioned the party's commitment to free speech.
Mr Doherty countered by saying he had to bring a Fianna Fáil-led government to the High Court to stop it subverting democracy - a reference to delays in holding a bye-election in Donegal in 2010.
Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl described the heckling as intolerable and threatened to adjourn the Dáil.
Later, Independent TD Catherine Connolly urged the Government to see sense on the eviction ban, saying it was never too late undo a bad decision.
Cowen apologises for eviction ban comments
The Laois-Offaly deputy said that extending the eviction ban would not necessarily solve the housing crisis and compared it to "making sweets free for children".
Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, he said that he was not his intention to offend but to focus minds on the available solutions.
Varadkar not encouraging tenants to overstay
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that he never advised anyone to overstay their tenancy in comments he made in the Dáil yesterday.
However, he said he was aware of cases where people made that decision.
Responding to comments from FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres) CEO Eilis Barry on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, who said his comments did not reflect the legal reality, and could give people false hope, Mr Varadkar said: "They (FLAC) were one of many organisations that I mentioned that people can go to for assistance.
"You know, Threshold, for example, is another one, local authorities as well.
"But the basic point that I was making, and I think it was a valid one, is that all notices of termination don't result in eviction.
"There is a process to be followed. The Residential Tenancies Board is involved and sometimes the courts can be involved where it's disputed."
He said there were new tenancies being created all the time and said an additional 2,000 Housing Assistance Payment tenancies had been created already so far this year.
Elsewhere, Labour leader Ivana Bacik urged Government to extend the eviction ban in the context of HAP analysis carried out by the Simon Communities.
"With just 29 HAP properties available on the market, this is a perfect storm for those on lower incomes who also risk receiving a notice to quit this weekend. It's nothing short of a national disgrace."
Additional reporting Eleanor Burnhill
