The Minister for Social Protection has been accused of failing to protect tenants after a pensioner was served with an eviction notice.

Sinn Fein Housing spokesperson said Minister Regina Doherty's "crocodile tears" are of little comfort to the tenants her government did not protect.

He said: "Frank's landlord would not have been able to evict him if Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil had supported the Focus Ireland amendment tabled by me and other TDs last December.

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"The amendment would have restricted the termination of tenancies in Buy-to-Let properties.

"Buy-to-let landlords who benefited from generous state tax relief when purchasing the property would be outlawed from issuing vacant possession notices to quit when seeking to the sell the property.

"Unfortunately on the December 16th last year Fine Gael voted against this measure and Fianna Fáil abstained.

"Frank's situation is more and more common for many households. The Minister for Housing must act. The amendment to the legislation has been drafted. The work has been done. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil just need to support it."

(CD)