Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 4, line 13, to delete “12 January 2022” and substitute “12 January 2023”.

This legislation is moving in a particular direction and the Minister is not accepting any amendments. With a view to moving things on and having Members speak on as many amendments as possible in the short time allotted, I have decided not to move amendment No. 3. I will speak just for a short while on the amendments in this group because everyone is making similar and important points in relation to the timings and the need to extend the applicable time periods. I have spoken about it previously. Many people, including me, spoke about it on Second Stage.

These amendments are about extending the deadlines from January 2022 to January 2023. It speaks to a longer view in respect of the impact this pandemic is having and how long it is going to take to get out of it.

The Opposition firmly believes stored-up evictions will hit like a tidal wave in the not-too-distant future. When the protections in recent Bills that have kept people in their homes are gone and the cliff edge is hit, the crisis will be of a proportion that will make the pre-pandemic prices seem almost utopian. That is how bad it is going to be. We are asking the Minister whether he can take a longer-term view on this.

The issue of the increase of 8% is important. We spoke about this. There are hidden increases in the system that are not spoken about often enough. If the tenants on rent supplement whose tenancies are coming to an end and who are to be evicted -— this has happened in my constituency, which I share with the Minister, and I am sure it has happened in every other constituency -— are lucky enough to find alternative accommodation, they are encouraged to avail of the housing assistance payment, HAP. The rent officers say new rent supplement applications cannot be accepted and that those concerned must go onto the HAP. A tenant who finds a property and goes through the tortuous process of waiting for HAP approval at one of the various rates ultimately finds the value or his or her supports to meet the rent is down €200 to €250 per month. In essence, this is another rent increase that is not captured. It is not necessarily captured in statistics but it is a very real rent increase. Let me refer to those who are unable to work, people on disability allowance, people I have been dealing with who cannot work and others who have a fixed low income and who have been forced out of their homes and who are then forced by the system to move from rent supplement to HAP. When they have a desire to work but cannot, they face an increase. That is another element of the rental crisis. It is highly complex. It has remained hidden and while there has been some protection during the pandemic, the edifice will come crashing down.

The aim of all the amendments is to recognise and strengthen the protections that have been in place and extend the deadlines to give people some kind of pause to help them to emerge from the pandemic in the best way possible and to ensure, despite all the systemic challenges in the rental market, irrespective of the pandemic, they can fight them with both hands and not have one hand, if not two, tied behind their backs.

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