Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

From the medical advice that we are given there is no question that people moving through society during a virus pandemic enhances the risk of its spread. That is the reason measures were taken by the previous Oireachtas and why further measures have been taken here to protect tenants. It is something that we will watch. Significant permanent changes were made in the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 relating to arrears, assistance and notification periods, which is very important, and also to determination notices. Further strengths were brought in with that Act that, unfortunately, did not receive the unanimity I felt it deserved. That said, we will still need to work to protect tenants' rights further and I and my colleagues, the Ministers of State, Deputies Noonan and Burke, are committed to doing that. We had a good initial meeting of the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage earlier today where I committed to working in a collaborative way with colleagues from all parties and none to ensure we can bring forward workable, realistic solutions that will not have a negative impact on the market or drive people further out of it, which is an issue that is not discussed. The knock-on effect of the intended or otherwise unintended consequences of some of the measures that are put forward as simplistic solutions would lead to more tenants becoming homeless and in emergency accommodation, which is not what I want to see happen.

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