Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is a particularly sensitive area. I accept what the Minister has to say, which involves having made a commitment in good faith at the time. Due to circumstances outside anybody's control, however, as opportunities arise, people will obviously take advantage of the market as it emerges at any given time and try to offload. It is unfortunate that the effect of this clause and its determination coincide with a very serious problem in the housing market. Given that we want to retain as many people as possible offering accommodation for rent to needy renters, it is a bit unfortunate that this relief is causing problems and it will cause problems. Is it possible by another route to introduce an ameliorating measure that could be used, without interfering with the rights contained and the conditions laid down in the provision originally, to encourage people to continue? In other words, one measure would be balanced against the other. I do not know the extent to which this is possible, or if it is possible, but if it is possible, now would be the time to invoke it because we all see an increasing number of people in our constituencies coming to us after being informed that the house in which they live, which they might have lived in for 20 years, is for sale. It causes a series of problems. For example, after a struggle, the local authority in Kildare can come up with a one-, two- or three-bedroom unit. After that, if you have a family of four children and two adults, it is very difficult to come across accommodation that meets your requirements. Some of these people are homeless at the moment. They are in temporary accommodation. It is causing a problem for local authorities because the temporary accommodation has to be paid for as well because these people are homeless. The Minister set out the reasons for this issue being a particular difficulty at this stage. If it is possible, could an ameliorating measure be introduced now or on Report Stage? It would be hugely beneficial to people, particularly those who have been renting a property for a number of years.