The Housing Minister is being urged to immediately reinstate the eviction ban throughout Ireland.

Labour Housing Spokesperson Senator Rebecca Moynihan made the call after the announcement by An Taoiseach Michéal Martin that the entire country is to move to Level 3 for three weeks.

Senator Moynihan said: "After the announcement from the Taoiseach that the entire country is moving to Level 3 where people are being asked to remain in their own county, it is time to reinstate the eviction ban to keep people in their home and county.

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"The legal basis of the eviction ban was to limit the movement of people. The Minister told us in July on foot of advice from the attorney general that the ban would run into legal difficulty with restrictions easing. However, today’s decision to limit movement again means the Government need to reimpose the ban as they are reinstating the legal basis of it by limiting the movement of people again.

"In July the Minister bizarrely refused to accept Labour's amendment to the Residential Tenancies Bill that would have given him the powers to reinstate the ban on evictions for public health reasons. We see clearly now the urgent need for this amendment given the worsening public health situation.

"These restrictions will disproportionately affect renters who work in low paid jobs such as in the hospitality sector. The Minister needs to act now, he needs to bring forward emergency legislation considering the worsening public health situation to reinstate the ban for the entire country immediately."