Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

First of all, I do not accept the Deputy's assertions in respect of the Government's position during the past year and a half, in particular in respect of tenants more generally and protecting tenants. We are doing everything we possibly can to help tenants who need enhanced protection from the State during Covid-19 and we have been doing that. Rental protections remain in place for those most in need of such protections. Any person negatively impacted by Covid-19 who is experiencing arrears, who is at risk of homelessness and who makes a declaration can avail of protections under the Residential Tenancies Board. Those rental protections are a proportionate response because the Government has to balance constitutional issues with the common good.

The targeted ban on rent increases is due to expire on 12 July. The majority of tenants in the private rental sector have not been protected from rent increases since 1 August. We acknowledge that. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will shortly bring proposals to the Government to extend rental protections further beyond 12 July. This is to give more time to vulnerable tenants to recover their financial stability.

I will comment on the broader situation. The Government's policies in respect of housing, housing supply and the construction of more housing are key to helping those who are currently paying exorbitant rents. We want to provide affordable housing to people. We want to provide social housing to those who are currently under the housing assistance payment situation and who are renting. That is our target. It would be important that all parties at local and council level support that by giving the green light to housing construction projects that are ready to go and to stop objecting to them and opposing them. That is the first thing. We need to get housing supply up to improve the rental market.

The Minister is planning to change rental legislation and is planning for legislation to provide long-term security of tenure for tenants at affordable rents. The annual 4% cap was introduced some years ago in the context of rent pressure zones. I am conscious of the issue that the Deputy has raised and I have discussed it with the Minister. The Minister is keen for long-term security and for the issue of the scale and level of increase to be curtailed in future. We have been legally advised and, in our view, the outright banning cannot happen. In other jurisdictions where that did happen, it had negative unintended consequences. During the emergency period of Covid-19 from August 2020 to January 2021 we were able to support tenants. We did that in a targeted manner where we were legally entitled to do so. We cannot break the law from the Government perspective. We take on board seriously the issues that are arising. The Minister intends to bring in legislation to sort this out for the longer term for tenants in terms of security of tenure and affordable levels of increases in rent rather than what has been happening prior to the pandemic.

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