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Danny Healy-Rae raises Loreto eviction crisis in Dáil

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Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae has raised the issue of 14 Killarney families who face the prospect of homelessness after receiving eviction notices from a foreign landlord.

All residents of Loreto Convent Estate in Killarney have been served with Notices of Termination by Xerico Ltd, a company registered in Cyprus. More than 40 people — including infants, schoolchildren, and people with disabilities — are affected by the move.
Deputy Healy-Rae told the Dáil that he has contacted the Minister for Housing and urged immediate Government action to prevent the families from losing their homes. He criticised recent changes to rent control legislation, arguing that they have worsened the situation for both landlords and tenants.
“These 14 families are in a desperate situation,” Deputy Healy-Rae said. “They’ve built a community in Killarney over the years, and now they’re being forced out. The new rent control laws are having the opposite effect of what was intended and landlords are getting out before the March deadline, and tenants are being left with nowhere to go.”
Responding on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Marian Harkin said the upcoming Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill, due to take effect in March 2026, is designed to balance protections for tenants with the need to keep landlords in the rental market. She said existing tenancies will not be affected by the new six-year rental rule, and landlords will still be able to terminate leases under defined circumstances.
Deputy Healy-Rae said he will continue to press the Government to address the crisis facing the Loreto families and others in similar situations across Kerry.
Many people, including me do not believe it is fair to lock a landlord into a rental agreement for six years. This failed in Scotland, where the authorities have gone back to the arrangement they had in 2016,” added Healy Rae
“I am concerned about the Minister of State’s figures because, to me, having been a public representative in Kerry for over 20 years, I have never seen the like of what is happening, including to the 14-house estate in Killarney, and there are many more of those.”

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Contactless payments launched on Local Link services

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Passengers using TFI Local Link Kerry services in Killarney and across the county can now pay for their journeys using contactless card payments.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) confirmed the rollout this week, allowing commuters to simply tap their debit card, credit card, or mobile devices, such as Apple Pay and Google Pa, when boarding.

The move is designed to offer more convenience for those using high-frequency rural and regional routes.

In Killarney, the new payment option will be available on the TFI Anseo town services, which have seen a significant increase in passenger numbers since their introduction.

The contactless system is currently available for single journey fares, while those using daily or weekly passes can continue to use the Leap website or the TFI Leap Top Up App.
Alan O’Connell, General Manager of TFI Local Link Kerry, welcomed the modernisation of the fleet.

“The introduction of contactless payments is another welcome step forward for public transport in Kerry,” he said. “It complements other major projects in the county, including the expansion of TFI Local Link services and the delivery of TFI Anseo in Killarney, which is proving to be another great initiative.”

While the new technology offers a modern alternative, traditional payment methods are not being phased out. Cash payments, TFI Leap cards, and Free Travel Cards all remains fully valid across the network.

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How will our Kerry TDs vote tomorrow?

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Tomorrow, Sinn Féin will be tabling a motion of no confidence against the Government after the protests that took place nationwide during the week.

Earlier today we asked our readers how would they vote in a no confidence motion against the Government?

Most of our readers said they would vote no confidence, while some said, yes they do have confidence in the Government.

One reader said: “Vote confidence. The only proper leadership over the last few days came from government. Courage came when needed despite how unpopular it looked in the moment. By contrast, opposition politicians wanted the country to burn to suit themselves”.

Another reader stated: “No confidence. Shambolic and heavy handed handling of protests this past week”.

However, some people didn’t have any confidence in either side with a reader saying: “No confidence in the no confidence! Different wings of the same bird! We need a complete overhaul of the political system”.

We asked the question to our 5 Kerry TDs before lunch-time today, asking them what their vote will be tomorrow.

We received one reply from Sinn Féin’s Kerry TD Pa Daly.

He will be voting no confidence in the Government tomorrow along with his party.

Other media outlets are reporting that Independent TD Danny Healy-Rae is undecided at the moment.

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