Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Free sale, fixity of tenure and fair rent were the three Fs demanded by the Land League many years ago. Yet here we are today, with many renters in a very similar situation to that of their ancestors. In my constituency of Longford-Westmeath, the average rents may be below the national average but they are rising quickly. As one constituent put it to me, "It is only upwards that they go." I ask the Minister to think about that statement for a minute and about the dismay, hardship and hopelessness that come with it.

The truth is that it does not have to be this way. My colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, has outlined how the rental crisis can be fixed. Banning rent increases and legislating for long-term tenancies are part of the solution. I know the positive impact that could have on renters and families in my constituency. I ask the Minister to imagine a situation where, every day, the goal of having security of tenure gets further and further out of one's reach. People's wages barely cover the cost of another rent increase but any increase in their wage will put them over the threshold for social housing support. The dream of saving for one's own home is forever gone. It is consigned to the level of dreams of winning the lotto or driving a Ferrari. It simply is not going to happen. The hard-working families in this situation wrongly believe they are at fault. In fact, the fault and failure lie with the system and the shame lies with the perpetrators who fail to recognise the degree of the problem and take steps to rectify it.

Sinn Féin in government would ensure all rental properties are compliant with an NCT-style certification system. A Government that has not even considered such a system could not possibly be expected to understand how vital it is. At the moment, tenants are fearful of going to the Residential Tenancies Board and rocking the boat. They will put up with no hot water and inadequate central heating simply because they do not want to put their tenancy at risk. That is not right and it must end.

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