Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

When the residential tenancies legislation went through the Seanad last July, we proposed a very clear enabling amendment that the Government and the Minister opposed. It would have possibly avoided the need for us to sit this week because it gave power to the Minister to reintroduce a ban on evictions. It was an either-or. It did not force him; it just gave him the power to do so if there was a second wave. In fairness, some of the Taoiseach's colleagues in government in the Green Party supported the amendment or at least did not oppose it. Now we have to deal with another rushed piece of legislation this week. We learn from our lessons. We call on the Taoiseach to extend the ban on evictions up to at least March. It is important that it goes to March. We cannot have a situation whereby it goes to just the first week in December because in that scenario people will have no certainty over Christmas, and surely this year of all years we have to ensure certainty.

I have been through the issue of rent and a rent freeze many times. I know what the capacity of the Government is on this. I know it has extensive powers. I ask the Taoiseach to use those powers. In addition, it is obvious that in the coming days the Government will have to bring in the banks to discuss a mortgage moratorium. It is absolutely essential that the Government does this sooner rather than later.

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