Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government is putting protections in place. I ask the committee to recognise that while work is being done in this area, we recognise that more has to be done and we are doing more. I recently met the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, to discuss a change management programme to make it a stronger regulator in the sector such that it could put greater protections in place for tenants and that tenants would not have to take their own cases because they can be in vulnerable positions and not always able to do so. That will be done over the coming two years. Another issue dealt with is the definition of substantial refurbishment, and that will be communicated very quickly to landlords in order that people are not taking advantage of perceived loopholes in rent pressure zones. If that has to be put on a legislative footing, that will be done and that is not a problem.

Prevention is very important. Arising from the housing summit, we announced exit co-ordinators to prevent people falling back into homelessness. We also announced a change in policy whereby a landlord will have to communicate with the RTB when he or she is serving a notice to quit. The RTB can then get the different available services to engage early and prevent people from having to access emergency accommodation.

We know that early intervention works. It needs to happen more. If it only becomes known that people must vacate their property in one week's time, they will almost certainly fall into emergency accommodation. It then becomes even more difficult for them to get back into a better form of accommodation. Early intervention is a key measure and I think it will help the preventive measures to be put in place.