Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the final part of the Minister's contribution. I presume this is an aspect of what was hammered out during the day in terms of the delays that have been experienced. The Minister said he would look at other areas outside the four Dublin local authorities and Cork city fairly quickly and that this will include the commuter areas around Dublin and the cities of Waterford, Limerick and Galway.

I sincerely hope that false hopes are not being created here that will be dashed because the Minister has also stated that he will use the criteria that have already been outlined on how to designate pressure areas. Obviously, I want to see Limerick city and those other areas included as quickly as possible if we are to go with this measure of pressure areas, but my preference, which is contained in the amendment and was contained in the Bill that was voted down today, is not to have any pressure areas but to designate the whole country and to use the changes in the consumer price index as the indicator in terms of increasing rents. The 4% is far, far higher than the consumer price index at present. In effect, this is a licence for landlords to increase rents more than they would be likely to be increased in normal circumstances in many parts of the country. It is far simpler, and it is far fairer to tenants, to use the consumer price index.

There is also the issue of those who are just outside any of the areas that become designated, literally, in the next electoral area which will not be included. That is fraught with danger. The reason I worry about the fact that today's hammered through agreement may give false hope to tenants is that already there are tweets going out stating that now Limerick and Galway will be included, etc., but that does not seem to be quite what the Minister is saying.

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