Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to speak to amendment No. 38. Obviously, while the measures that have been proposed in the Government's Bill will give renters a level of temporary protection, one of the big concerns many of us have is that they will build up significant rent arrears over that period and even if, for example, an emergency rent supplement payment is provided, which we are hearing could be the case, that still will not deal with the problem. Our view is that it would not be good either for tenants, the rental system or the economy if we have not just thousands but potentially tens of thousands of tenants with a very substantial rent arrears debt burden at the other side. What we are trying to do with this amendment is simply create a mechanism whereby Government and Opposition can come together following the passage of this Bill, consult with lenders, tenant organisations and landlord organisations, and look at the possibility of how to address what is going to be a very significant problem. Clearly, our preference is to have some level of rent reductions and rent waivers, particularly where tenants and landlords have availed of mortgage moratoriums. However, we are not being prescriptive. The amendment simply provides a process and a mechanism for such interventions to be discussed, debated and, hopefully, introduced at a later stage.

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