Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I first want to congratulate all of the students across the country who challenged the refusal of landlords, in the main corporate landlords, to refund the large rents paid by them last year before Covid hit and they had to up sticks and go home. This includes students from University College Cork who highlighted the particularly scandalous situation at Amnis House on the Western Road where a corporate landlord was refusing to return four-figure sums that students had paid for their year's accommodation. If it were not for the campaigning efforts of those students, the student unions and the Union of Students in Ireland, we would not be discussing the legislative change about to be passed by this House, which provides that two months is the maximum amount a renter can be asked to pay upfront. I welcome that change and I again congratulate the students who campaigned for it.

We need to reinstate the ban on all rent increases and evictions. The limited protections being proposed by Government will not work. There were 448 rent arrears warnings issued to tenants across the State, of which the RTB is aware. Twenty of those tenants availed of the protections offered by the Government. When one steps back and looks at the position for the past ten months, during that time 3,800 rent warnings were issued and 475 tenants were able to avail of the protections. Within that 3,800, there were 1,100 eviction notices - notices to quit - and 475 tenants, less than half, were able to avail of the protections.

I want to talk briefly about the situation that pertains in Cork city. My office is receiving reports of landlords in Cork city who are trying to impose the 8% rent increase on tenants this year. They were not able to impose the maximum 4% rent increase last year because of the ban on rent increases, but now that the Government is lifting that ban in respect of some renters, landlords are trying to impose the double-whammy increase of 8%. For example, this morning I was made aware of a landlord in the Blackpool area who is trying to impose the 8% rent increase on tenants there. I would like to make three points about this. First, landlords trying to get away with an 8% increase before we are fully out of a pandemic speaks to unbelievable greed. Second, I appeal to all tenants in such a situation to make a declaration to try to avoid the rent increases that are being piled on them. Third, the Government has to take responsibility for having allowed this situation to develop. It needs to take heed of the points that I and other Deputies have raised and strengthen this legislation such that it provides not for a limited ban but a 100% ban on all rent increases and evictions. That is what is needed. It is what this situation calls for and it is what should be done.

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