Resist Evictions: Lessons from the Land War

A Statement from Joe Moore

On April 1st 2023, the Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil/Green Party government gave landlords carte blanche to evict tenants - not just tenants who are in rent arrears or are engaged in anti-social behaviour, but tenants who are fully rent compliant. These are so-called “no-fault” evictions. This is happening at a time of the greatest housing crisis in the history of the state. Tenants cannot find other properties to rent - such accommodation does not exist. Neither is social housing available. Even the emergency accommodation that exists is fully occupied. Already there are almost 12,000 people officially homeless. Landlords have the full support of the government, the courts and the Gardaí. Houses are no longer homes; they are now commodities, to be bought and sold in the market place.

It appears as if the landlords and their government hold all the aces. But we have been here before and there are lessons we can learn. The Land War (1879-1882) saw tenant farmers fighting against mainly absentee landlords. They fought against high rents and evictions. They formed the Land League in order to better fight against the landlords. Like today’s landlords, the landlords of the 19 th century had the full backing of the government, the courts and the RIC. The tenants had three core demands, known as the Three Fs. These were Fair Rent, Fixity of Tenure and Free Sale. The first two are still relevant today. Fair rent is rent that should be based on the income of the renter, not on what the “market” dictates. Fixity of tenure is absolutely no eviction for whatever reason. The tactic used by the Land League was to withhold rent. Perhaps this should be considered today. A mass withholding of rents would put pressure on both landlords and the government. The rent strike would continue until the basic demands were met, a total eviction ban and a fair differential rent scheme. Mass action by tenants and their allies can defeat 21st century landlords and their political backers.