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

I do not accept the arguments or assertions put forward by the Deputy. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is working proactively to protect renters and the legislation he introduced did just that. The 475 people who applied did so because they were vulnerable as a result of Covid-19 and they then received the protections that were provided under the Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies Act 2020. Those protections are available up until 12 July. I anticipate that the Minister will extend those protections for tenants and renters through legislation up until January 2022. The rent pressure zone, RPZ, framework is due to expire at the end of 2021 and the Minister will also have proposals on that. A rent arrears notice does not always result in an eviction notice, as the Deputy is well aware.

I would also point out to the Deputy that something else we have to take on board is that the number of landlords registered with the RTB reduced by 3,857 in 2020. That is a significant contraction in the market so there is a balance to be struck. The Minister wants to deal with both the rent increase issue and with ensuring protection for renters. The strong advice to the Minister has been that a blanket ban on rent increases of any duration would be the subject of a legal challenge and would almost certainly deter continued investment in the rental accommodation market.

I read Deputy Ó Broin's comments today. He wants the ban extended for another six months so even he in his commentary accepts that there cannot be a rent freeze forever. The difference between what the Deputy is saying and what the Government's position is seems to be six months. The Government's advice and the Minister's advice have been strongly that a blanket ban on rent increases would be subject to a legal challenge and that it does not in itself grow the rental accommodation market either. We need more accommodation, housing supply and affordable housing.

We are making significant progress on the homelessness front. Some 1,364 adults and their dependents exited emergency accommodation or were prevented from entering into emergency accommodation in the first quarter of 2021. The Housing First programme is providing homeless people with high support needs with 539 active Housing First tenancies nationwide. We know that a notice of termination served does not always result in an eviction. A landlord often serves a notice of termination but does not follow through on it or it can be averted or dealt with. We will do everything we possibly can to protect tenants and a range of supports are available to protect tenants, including the legal supports and legislation the Minister has brought in and will extend for tenants to the beginning of next year. The parallel with that will be a continuing focus on reducing the number of people in family homelessness, which has come down by 31% on the total recorded in April 2020. Since the start of 2021, a total of 324 families in Dublin have exited emergency accommodation. Ultimately, we do not want people falling into any situation where eviction becomes the norm. On a range of policies, we have to do everything we possibly can to prevent evictions and to support those who are renting. That is what we intend to do.

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