Denise Mitchell (Dublin Bay North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will share my time with Deputy Conway-Walsh. I will begin by saying that those of us in Sinn Féin will support this Bill. The latest Residential Tenancies Board report has shown that 1,100 notices to quit were issued despite a ban being in place. Sinn Féin has repeatedly called on the Minister to ban evictions and to halt rent increases. Rents are crippling people and they are robbing the majority of renters of their income. Rents in north Dublin city now average €2,000 per month. That is more than €450 per week, a shocking amount to place on anyone.

The first quarter of this year saw the largest increase in rents across the State since 2018. The Minister has stood over this rental crisis and has done very little to address it. Rents are out of control. Before I came into the Chamber, I looked on daft.ieand there were six properties to rent in Dublin 17, five of which were two-bedroom apartments seeking rent of between €1,500 and €1,800. I think the Minister will agree with me that they are eye-watering amounts. How are young families or workers expected to afford these rental prices while they are trying to save for a home of their own, or trying to put food on the table or clothes on their backs? Rents need to be going down, not up. I cannot stress enough that we need more action from the Minister. Rents need to be frozen and brought down, and we need to put a halt on evictions. I hope this Bill gives families, workers and students some sort of breathing space because God knows they need it.

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