Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is just as well that this measure has been the subject of such deep scrutiny. Some spokespersons have been criticised for not being in the Chamber, but I suggest that any spokesperson, or indeed the Minister, who is not in the Chamber is probably doing further scrutiny of this legislation in his or her office with his or her assistants. That is the position here.

I absolutely uphold the right of all Deputies to speak on the generalities and specifics of this issue. The fact of the matter is that this week, we have seen a pretty cynical attempt to play out the internal politics of Fine Gael within the rental market. Not only are commentators saying this, but they are also being told this by Fine Gael Ministers and Deputies. The public can read that. I do not think the people of this country will fall for any of this. They remember the debates that took place in this House last year when the Minister, Deputy Kelly, made proposals in this regard. They will recall the huge resistance of the Fine Gael Party at that time to the concept of rent stabilisation, certainty or control. Fine Gael's position on this issue has changed in recent months, mainly as a result of its reduced mandate but also as a result of the pressure it has faced from all the Opposition groups in this House.

I acknowledge that these proposals are being made following a process to which Fianna Fáil made a submission. It has to be said that many of the items we sought, and indeed other parties sought, have been achieved. Unfortunately, we are not hearing about those important matters during this debate because of the focus on one or two issues.

It is very easy to criticise landlords. I am not holding a flag for landlords and certainly not for the REITs that have been allowed to come into the market. Rather than producing new properties, the REITs are taking over existing properties with the encouragement of Fine Gael. It is not easy for landlords who may have bought one or two houses in good faith to save responsibly for their pensions. The key aspect of what we are doing is to protect tenants. This does not mean all of us want to slam every single landlord out there. Only for them, many houses would not be available.

Although the proposals advanced last year by the then Minister, Deputy Kelly, were the subject of a great deal of criticism, I acknowledge that they have had some effect. Some of the loudest critics of those proposals are building them into their calculations now. Others have tried to ignore all of this. Deputy Kelly's measures have had a little bit of an effect and have given people some comfort. Some of what is being done now is very welcome on top of this.

It has been alleged that the reasons which have been provided for under the rules governing Part 4 tenancies to enable tenants to be put out of properties - the sale of the house, for example, or its rental to a family member - are quite restrictive. The reality is that in some cases, these provisions are being used as a means of getting new tenants who can be charged higher rents. I suggest that regardless of the rate, the incentive to change tenants will disappear a result of this type of legislation. That is one of the key reasons for introducing rent control and stabilisation, or "rent certainty" as we are calling this measure. It is important to emphasise during all the argy-bargy that is going on in the Dáil today - I understand from colleagues that it is going to go on until Monday, but I have not heard a formal announcement to that effect - that this measure should give comfort to people who are in situin their properties. When this Bill has been passed, the Members of the Dáil will be able to say they have worked together to achieve something that will benefit tenants.

I remind the House that the rent certainty measures which are being introduced here now, despite huge resistance from large parts of the Fine Gael Party, are extremely common around the developed world. This is not new stuff. It is not radical. Ireland is not taking a lead role in this respect. It has to be said with regard to rent regulation that we are well behind the curve in comparison with other developed economies. I suppose the historical reason for that is the desire of Irish people to own their own homes. We should never forget that and we should always encourage it.

Deputy McGuinness and others have rightly pointed out that the local authorities are doing very little because they are not being encouraged to do much by the Government. I noticed today that Meath County Council has issued a tender in the vaguest possible terms looking for expressions of interest for private developments. The council has said that two thirds of the properties it needs are two-bed houses. I do not understand that.

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