Dáil debates

Wednesday, 23 June 2021

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage

 

3:37 pm

Photo of Violet-Anne WynneViolet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We are discussing relevant and potential legislation. The housing crisis is an area of particular concern for Sinn Féin and so we are happy to see motions and Bills proposing solutions before this Chamber.

The average rent across this country is €1,256 per month. Rent in Dublin is, on average, €1,745 per month, but in many parts of Dublin rents are more than €2,000 per month. Across the country rents have risen by 2.7% over the past year. In the commuter belt, there has been an increase of 5%. In my constituency of Clare, those figures are above the average. There has been a year-on-year increase of 2.9%, but more concerning an increase of 5.9% between the third and fourth quarter of 2020. With more people relocating to County Clare through remote working initiatives, the area has seen a sharp spike in rents. This inflation is unsustainable and will ultimately lead to locals not being able to afford to live in their locality. In Clare, approximately 70 people are registered as homeless, but beyond first glance one realises that the figure is much higher. For example, there are young disabled people living in nursing homes who do not feature in the homeless statistics and Travellers who have been consistently refused transfers to more adequate accommodation who also do not feature in the official numbers.

The National Homelessness and Housing Coalition estimates that more than 50% of homeless people in Clare are Travellers. While Travellers represent only 1% of the overall population, their representation in these figures is disproportionate, which is unjust. According to the programme for Government, asylum seekers living in direct provision deserve accommodation that aligns with an own-door policy. These too do not appear in homelessness figures. The total number of hidden homeless is far greater than we are told and, by and large, comprises people from marginalised communities. This means that the housing crisis to which we refer is only the tip of the iceberg. The scale of the crisis is far greater than is depicted in the mainstream narrative.

My party has been raising issues and, more importantly, solutions in these Chambers for a very long time. Just last month, we tabled a motion proposing legislation that would implement an emergency three-year ban on rent increases and that would allow for tenancies of indefinite duration. We would also introduce a refundable tax credit for tenants in the private rented sector to put a month's rent back in every renter's pocket and ensure that all rental properties are compliant with minimum standards by introducing a national car test-style certification system. However, the political will needed to take concrete affirmative action to address the rental crisis simply is not there. This Government has no plans to reduce rents, to protect renters from further rent hikes or to prioritise the supply of affordable rental properties. This Bill is a movement in the right direction but falls short of the radical change needed to genuinely improve the system. Although I will support it, I call for all tenants to be included in the emergency period for the rest of this year. The provisions of this Bill are generally totally sensible. They include prohibiting upfront payments for student accommodation and the introducing a standard of one month's notice for termination of residency for students.

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