Number of repossessions doubled between 2010-13

A European research project headed up by Dr Pádraic Kenna of NUI Galway yesterday published its report, Promoting protection of the right to housing- Homelessness prevention in the context of evictions.

Ireland was one of only five EU countries where it found evictions had increased by more than 10 per cent over the period, along with Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia and the Netherlands.

The authors identified 200 cases of illegal evictions in Ireland in 2013, none of which led to convictions or criminal sanctions.

The report states: “There were relatively high numbers of evictions (including illegal evictions) in the private rented sector.

“While there was a high level of initiated evictions in the social rented sector, the number of those actually evicted was very low. Nevertheless, there is great media and political interest in any evictions which take place due to the historical legacy of evictions.”

According to the report, evictions taking place outside judicially-supervised processes disproportionately affect undocumented migrants and asylum seekers on the black rental market.

There was a 17.6 per cent increase in the number of evictions initiated by local authorities in Ireland during 2010-13.

The number of properties repossessed by regulated mortgage lenders increased by 111 per cent, from 363 in 2010 to 766 in 2013.

Over two-thirds were taken into possession by voluntary surrender and the rest were taken into possession by court order.