Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Today the Taoiseach's Government launched its long-overdue and long-promised propositions for the residential rental sector. Despite the Government's reluctance to support rent certainty in the past, Sinn Féin had hoped rent certainty would be part of the Government's plan. We had hoped some relief would be given to the more than 700,000 citizens struggling with increased rents. The case for introducing rent certainty could not be more obvious. Rents have risen by almost 12% since this time last year and continue to rise because the Government has failed objectively and abjectly to address the rental crisis. The current annual rental increase is the largest on record. Four households per day are losing their homes. Last month's daft.iequarterly rental report showed average rents throughout the State are now more than €1,000 per month. The figure for Dublin is more than €1,500. It is out of control. Rents are already at unsustainable levels. Today's announcement lacks ambition and will actually compound the difficulties faced by citizens.

The most glaring omission is the absence of a system of rent certainty linking annual rent reviews to an index such as the consumer price index, as proposed by the Dáil Committee on Housing and Homelessness. What has been produced is an ad hocpackage by an ad hocGovernment supported by an ad hocFianna Fáil Party that plucks the arbitrary figure of 4% out of nowhere to be applied to rent increases annually in Dublin and Cork. This means that those currently renting an average-priced property in Dublin will pay an extra €2,314 over the course of the next three years. In Dublin the increase will be €1,628. Does the Taoiseach think people have this kind of money? Does he think they can afford this? What about those who live outside Dublin? The old rules still apply. What about people in Galway, Castlebar, Sligo or other parts of the State? Rents in my constituency are now at an average of €913 per month. This represents a 15% increase. In Dundalk, people are paying €400 extra; in Drogheda, almost €700. Citizens need the Government's help. They have not got it. Today's announcement will copper-fasten a wider housing crisis that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have consistently refused to deal with.

The two parties voted against Sinn Féin's rent certainty proposals three times. Why did they do so? Why will the Government not introduce rent certainty? It says it cannot interfere with the market. It says it is okay to force through emergency laws to cut public services and wages, it is okay to reward the greed of private bankers and it is okay to force struggling families to pay this bill, but it will not introduce rent certainty.

The Government could do it today if it wanted. It could link rent increases to the consumer price index. Will the Government do this?

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