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

This is the first of two rent Bills. We have tried to bring forward in the first rent Bill measures on which all Deputies and Senators can agree such that it can pass through the Houses quickly. I hope Oireachtas Members do not table amendments dealing with other possibly more complex areas which can be covered in a further Bill. We need to get this Bill enacted quickly because these are important powers that will protect people. I hope now that the Bill is published, it will be prioritised in the Oireachtas schedule by the Business Committee in order that we can hit the ground running in January and get it through the House quickly. However, I am in the hands of the Oireachtas in terms of how long it will take for the Bill to pass.

The draft guidelines on short-term letting have been given to the committee. The required changes to primary legislation are very simple and can happen very quickly. However, the House may approve or reject the regulations I lay before it but it may not amend them. We have provided draft regulations to the committee in the hope that it can test them along with departmental officials. If the regulations are approved following the two-week waiting time after I submit them, they will become law. We have until 1 June to get this done but we should not wait until the last minute. The committee and the Oireachtas should be resolute that this change is coming on 1 June, that nothing will stop it and that people should be prepared for it. We do not want people to come forward on 1 June to say they were not ready for the changes because the law had not been passed. This law will be passed before then.