Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

-----on the housing assistance payment. In fact, there is information available even in respect of the housing assistance payment. Perhaps the Departments do not talk to each other but the facts are available on the housing assistance payment and the areas in which both rents and the level of demand are highest in the country. If that is not evidence, I do not know what is. This is evidence that should be available to the Government.

As we know, there is huge pressure in terms of supply. We have to stop thinking about the property ladder and terminology of that sort and start thinking in a different way about the provision of homes. Essentially, tenants are at a huge disadvantage because they are not as organised as landlords. They are not in a position to impose the kind of pressure that landlords are able to impose.

The two main factors driving the cost of living are rents or mortgages and child care. They are also driving demands for wage increases. It makes perfect sense to link those to the CPI rather than encouraging rent increases at a time when we have zero inflation.

I do not understand the science or the information the Minister is using when there is perfectly good information that has been ignored. I have concerns about the RTB being in a position to offer a response - in a timely way - in respect of the areas to which this scheme will be extended because, as we all know, it is already under a great deal of pressure regarding other work. I would like an accurate timeline for the areas to which the scheme will be extended to and to know if resources are to be provided to the RTB to ensure that it can do this in a timely way.

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