Waterford's Sinn Féin councillors are calling for an emergency council meeting to discuss the escalation of the housing crisis.
The group has written to Mayor John O'Leary requesting an urgent meeting, ahead of what they predict will be a rise in homelessness once the eviction ban ends.
They have triggered a rule that allows groups of five or more councillors to force a special meeting of the council to discuss urgent matters of concern.
They say Waterford "is already in the grip of an unprecedented housing crisis due to a decade of inaction by successive governments."
Leader of the Sinn Féin group on Waterford City and County Council Conor D. McGuinness said, "The Sinn Féin group of councillors believes that Waterford City and County Council should meet urgently to discuss this imminent escalation of the housing and homelessness crisis and to seek immediate action from Government to address its causes.
"My colleagues and I wrote to Mayor John O’Leary this morning to trigger a Section 4 special meeting for this coming Friday to discuss the impending ending of the eviction ban and the impact it will have on an already disastrous housing situation across Waterford City and County.
"...Rents continue to spiral out of control, efforts to increase supply falls far short of what is required, and Government is failing to meet its underwhelming delivery targets for social and affordable houses.
"House prices continue to put homes out the reach of many workers and families, meaning a generation are reliant on a broken rental market.
"The latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board and Central Statistics Offices shows rents and house prices continuing to spiral upwards.
"Combined with the government’s failure to deliver an adequate supply of social and affordable homes, these rises are fuelling record levels of homelessness.
"Against this backdrop Government has decided to end the ban on evictions effective from April 1st. This will undoubtedly lead to sharp increase in families and individuals presenting as homeless."
This comes as a Sinn Féin motion is due to be heard on Wednesday, calling for the eviction ban to remain in place.
It will be supported by the Labour Party, along with Green Party TD, Neasa Hourigan.
The Rural Independent Group of TDs, which includes Waterford's Matt Shanahan, say their vote will depend on the government's response to a number of suggestions that they have put forward.
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