Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

What percentage of the 170,000 or so landlords registered are members of the Irish Property Owners Association? I suspect there is a considerable number of landlords who are not registered with anybody. I do not want to demonize all landlords because I know that they have ended up with tenants from hell. Unfortunately, however, I have come across too many landlords who are big into their rights but not their obligations and who provide substandard and inferior accommodation. The North Circular Road which I know very well was mentioned. There are two issues, one of which is vacant properties, some of which have been vacant for a very long time. There is a call for a tax after they have been left idle for a certain period. The situation is replicated in so many other communities in the constituency of Dublin Central that I represent.

The other issue on the North Circular Road is the appalling standard of rented accommodation provided. It has ruined what should be a beautiful road. It should be like Griffith Avenue, but the private rented accommodation provided has made it very difficult for residents and communities to achieve this. In certain places along the road every second house is rented and it is easy to tell which houses are rented from the look of them. That leads me to the need for a code of conduct or protocols for landlords to ensure they observe their obligations while enjoying their rights.

We have talked about rent increases. This morning the rent for one man in one room in Dublin central went from €480 to €860 without any change to the accommodation. I do not know how any landlord could stand over such an increase, regardless of what the market is like.