Sinn Féin has welcomed the overwhelming vote by Wicklow County councillors in favour of delaying the implementation of the Council’s proposed rent increases, while expressing regret that a Section 140 motion, which would have had binding legal power and directly instructed the Council executive to halt the increases, fell just one vote short.
The Section 140 motion, initiated by Sinn Féin councillors Warren O’Toole and John Ward, was brought forward with a clear purpose: to stop the Council from proceeding with its rent hikes.
A Section 140 motion, if passed, would have provided a direct and binding instruction to the Council executive, and therefore the failure to secure the required support was a missed opportunity to give the executive a clear legal direction to halt the increases.
The alternative motion to delay the implementation of the rent increases was supported by 25 of Wicklow’s 32 councillors, and Sinn Féin strongly welcomes that overwhelming vote, which sends a clear message from elected representatives that the proposed rent increases should not proceed.
The executive must now listen to the overwhelming message sent by councillors and act on it.
Arklow Sinn Féin Councillor Warren O’Toole said:
“It is regrettable that the Section 140 motion fell just one vote short. We were very clear from the outset that the purpose of bringing this motion forward was to stop this unfair rent scheme. It was a missed opportunity to give the Council executive a clear and binding instruction, with legal effect, to halt these increases.
“The Section 140 motion was not simply about delaying the increases. It was about using the powers available to elected representatives to directly instruct the executive to stop the scheme. That is why Sinn Féin brought it forward.
“Council management’s contention that the Section 140 motion was not legally sound succeeded in muddying the waters, but the fact remains that the operation and interpretation of Section 140 is before the courts and has yet to be adjudicated upon.
“We will be following this very closely.
“However, the overwhelming vote of 25 out of 32 councillors in favour of an alternative motion to delay the increases is very welcome and demonstrates the strength of feeling across the community, the Council and across political parties.
“While that motion does not have the same binding legal power as the Section 140 motion, it is an extremely clear political message from the elected members of Wicklow County Council that these rent increases should not proceed.
“The Section 140 was a Sinn Féin initiative which ensured that these rent increases were properly debated, and we were very clear that our objective was to stop this unfair scheme. Councillors have now made their position very clear.
“The message from today’s meeting cannot be ignored. It is now incumbent on Council management to listen not only to tenants and the public, but also to the clear and overwhelming view expressed by elected representatives, and halt these rent increases.
“A postponement cannot simply become an excuse to proceed with the same increases at a later date.
“Management must now listen to the overwhelming message from elected representatives and stop these rent hikes.”
Bray Sinn Féin Councillor John Ward said:
“The failure of the Section 140 motion was a missed opportunity to directly and in a binding way instruct the executive to halt these rent increases.
“From the outset, Sinn Féin was very clear that we brought the Section 140 motion forward because we wanted to stop this unfair rent scheme. It was the mechanism we used to seek a direct instruction to the executive, rather than simply expressing opposition to the increases through a standard motion.
“However, the vote of 25 out of 32 councillors in favour of a delay is a very significant result and demonstrates the scale of opposition to these increases.
“While the delay motion does not carry the same binding legal power as the Section 140 motion, the Council executive cannot simply ignore the overwhelming political message that has been sent by the elected members.
“The Council’s own figures indicate that 87% of tenants are facing rent increases, with some households facing increases of more than 100%.
“For households already struggling with the cost of food, energy and other essentials, increases on this scale could have a very serious impact.
“The elected representatives have now spoken clearly.
“Sinn Féin moved the Section 140 motion to stop these increases, and that remains our position. We now await the Council’s response, and Sinn Féin will continue to stand with council tenants and press for these increases to be stopped.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow, John Brady, said:
“It is regrettable that the Section 140 motion fell just one vote short.
“That motion was brought forward by Sinn Féin with a very clear objective: to stop this unfair rent scheme. Had it passed, it would have provided the Council executive with a direct and binding instruction to halt the increases.
“However, the fact that 25 of the 32 councillors backed a delay is a clear and significant expression of opposition to the proposed rent increases.
“This was a Sinn Féin initiative which brought the Section 140 motion forward and ensured that councillors had the opportunity to debate the increases and the impact on tenants.
“The message from today’s meeting is clear. Councillors have heard the concerns being raised by tenants and have overwhelmingly backed a delay.
“The responsibility now rests with Council management. They need to listen to the elected representatives and tenants rather than simply hiding behind process or legal advice and proceeding with increases that will have such a negative impact on ordinary people.
“I would also call on the Cathaoirleach to use her influence to ensure that the concerns expressed today are acted upon.
“The executive now has a choice. It can listen to the clear and overwhelming will of elected representatives, properly consider the concerns raised, and halt these increases, or it can hide behind process and proceed regardless.
“Sinn Féin was very clear in bringing the Section 140 motion forward that our objective was to stop these unfair rent increases. We brought this issue to the floor of the Council and we will continue to take the fight to the Council until these increases are stopped.”
Sinn Féin TD for Wicklow-Wexford, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, said:
“The failure of the Section 140 motion by just one vote was a missed opportunity to give the Council executive a direct, binding instruction to halt these increases.
“We did not bring this motion forward simply to delay implementation. We sought to use the powers available to councillors to give the executive a direct instruction to stop the increases.
“However, the fact that 25 of Wicklow’s 32 councillors supported a delay is a clear indication of the strength of feeling around these rent increases and is a result that the Council executive cannot simply ignore.
“Today’s debate would not have happened without the initiative taken by Sinn Féin councillors in bringing the Section 140 motion forward.
“The onus is now firmly on Council management to listen to the elected representatives and act accordingly.
“Sinn Féin will continue this campaign and will continue to support council tenants until these proposed increases are stopped.”
ENDS