Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will pick up where Deputy Ó Broin left off. I commend the Bill. For a long time Ireland has lagged quite a distance behind EU comparators in protections for tenants and not just in the area this legislation deals with. Previously we have discussed the issue of tenants being able to remain in a property after the property is sold, which is a frequent occurrence. The amendments proposed in the Bill are of considerable value. Substantial areas of Cork were included in the rent pressure zones and it has created some anomalies where significant urban areas near the city were not included. An all-State approach would have been preferable. One year on from the introduction of the rent pressure zone measure I question whether it has made any significant difference to people in my constituency and the surrounding areas.

Tenants, particularly those in receipt of HAP and other payments, are in a difficult position in terms of seeking to have this enforced. As Deputy Ó Broin has said, it is quite the ask of someone who is aware that there is a significant lack of alternative rental accommodation to pursue it with the Residential Tenancies Board. All sorts of approaches have been used by unscrupulous landlords, including stating they require it for their own use and then renting it again some months subsequently. I have also come across the term "renovictions" whereby landlords explain away the eviction on the basis renovations are required but these subsequently do not go ahead. On a much larger scale, the carrying out of renovations was used as a spurious excuse for evictions in the Leeside apartments.

It is clear that there is a need to strengthen our legislation governing the private rental sector in order to give people greater security of tenure. I believe the amendments proposed in the Bill would make a significant difference in that regard.

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