Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I wish to note the loss of Ms Emma Mhic Mhathúna, who will be laid to rest today. I am sure all Members send solidarity to her family and to all those caught up in the CervicalCheck debacle.

Yesterday, we were told for the third year on the trot that the budget was a housing budget. It would more properly be described as a budget for landlords. In spite of the scale of the current crisis for renters, with rents going up and up with no end in sight, the Government chose to leave them out in the cold. The budget contains no measures on rent control, tax relief for renters or security of tenure.

In our alternative budget, Sinn Féin proposed that a three-year rent freeze for all existing and new tenancies be introduced with immediate effect and demonstrated how that could be achieved. However, the Government and its partners in Fianna Fáil chose to ignore that proposal. It is probably true that I should not have expected much more from the Government, given its record on housing, but last week Fianna Fáil Members voted in favour of a cross-party motion calling for the introduction of security of tenure and rent certainty. They were happy to vote for the motion but yesterday they lauded the budget and proudly proclaimed that their stamp was on it. I know a week is a long time in politics but an about-turn of that order requires some brass neck and an absolute cheek.

Sinn Féin proposed the introduction of an emergency temporary tax relief, which would give back the equivalent of one month’s rent annually to each renter and put money back into the pockets of hard-pressed renters but the Government and its partner in government, Fianna Fáil, chose not to do that. The budget contains no measures to ensure rent certainty and no tax relief for renters. It contains tax breaks for landlords but not for struggling tenants, which sums up the Government's approach. Renters have again been failed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael but landlords get a dig out. The wrong choices and priorities again, while rents go up and up.

On today's “Morning Ireland” radio programme, Deputy Micheál Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, told the nation that there is more to come. He stated that the Taoiseach has agreed that the finance Bill will contain more tax relief for landlords. It will have nothing for renters but lots for landlords. I ask the Taoiseach to specify what additional reliefs for landlords he has agreed with Fianna Fáil.

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