Renewed calls to end tenancy rights of domestic abusers living in Waterford council houses

A local councillor has renewed calls to end the tenancy rights of convicted domestic abusers who are living in council houses in Waterford.

Fianna Fáil councillor Eamon Quinlan raised the issue following the passing of ‘Jennie’s Law’ last month.

The legislation will pave the way for the creation of a public register of those who have been convicted of domestic violence.

Speaking after its passing, Cllr Quinlan said: “Several months ago, I called for Waterford City and County Council to take steps where people are convicted of domestic violence against a partner or children that they continue to live with in a council property.

“The council needs to be proactive in removing this individual from the property by extinguishing their right of residency to that property.

“At the time, the wider council advised that monitoring such judgments from the courts and enforcing these removals would throw up serious challenges for the council.”

He argued that the local authority now has a responsibility to take action to protect victims living in council houses.

“Well, one of those major hurdles has not just been removed, but the opportunity to act has now been handed to the council on a plate, so much so its becoming a dereliction of duty of the council not to act to protect its tenants.

“Under the new system, the person will have had their day in court and will have been convicted of serious domestic violence against a partner.

“This will be then published and maintained in the public realm. This means the council has no liability anymore.

“They are now on notice that they have abusers who share homes with their victims.”

Under the previous system, local authorities held no formal role in the protection of tenants from abusers that shared accommodation with them.

At present, victims often have to seek various protection or restraining orders through the courts if they want to live separately from their abuser.

Cllr Quinlan highlighted the complications that come with such a system.

“To be blunt, asking abusers’ victims to be sneaking to the courthouse in an attempt to have the abuser removed from the home, when their movements are probably being monitored by the abuser, makes it extremely difficult.

“They share a home and the abuser is using the fact that they are registered, tenants of Waterford City and County Council as a shield to remain in the home and thereby continue to have access to partners, former partners or children.

“Waterford City and County Council needs to wake up to their responsibility here and act to protect our law-abiding tenants.

“This new Jennies Law allows the council to identify abusers. It’s not down to the council, they have been identified by the courts.

“An automatic review of the residency should follow any such conviction to make sure the wider family unit is safe.”

He concluded that in such circumstances, the abuser’s rights of residency should be terminated.