Francis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for their time and enlightening discourse from the perspectives of both the tenant and the landlord. As they mentioned, the overarching issue underpinning rental inflation and instability relates to the chronic shortage of housing supply, that is, a landlords' market where demand outstrips supply. As I understand, housing delivery is picking up, including social and affordable housing, which should stabilise the housing crisis and, therefore, rents in the future. Cost rental is the key to this, whereby the State steps in to provide rental property at affordable prices. The model provides affordable, high-quality, warm and secure rental accommodation, freeing up more homes to the market. In the short term, however, as mentioned by Threshold, we need targeted measures. I welcome that group's proposals, specifically the tax rebate, which I recently pushed myself and submitted as a target budget submission.

On the issue of evictions using sale as the reason, which was cited by Dr. Byrne as being responsible for almost 70% of family homelessness. I personally pushed to remove this as a ground to end tenancy by allowing tenants to stay in situwhen the house is being sold but, unfortunately, this has not been accepted by the Government. I also proposed a measure that alerts local authorities to evictions to ensure they are given enough time to assist families at risk of homelessness and of entering accommodation. Notice periods have increased significantly. The minimum notice period is now 90 days and can reach up to 224 days. This gives tenants a significant period in which to find alternative accommodation if it is available, which, as I know personally from many people coming to me, it is not.

Does Ms O'Reilly know if the increased notices are working to reduce homelessness from the rental sector or are they just delaying the inevitable?

Does Ms Conway believe a new model of rental would work whereby dwellings would be designated as rental, thereby allowing stock to be sold with tenants in situ, akin to how it is done with commercial property?

Finally, does Mr. Davitt have annual figures for how many landlords are leaving the rental market?