Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputies Duncan Smith and Cian O'Callaghan for their amendments. They have outlined the purpose of their amendments, which is to extend the deadlines concerning protections and eligibility.

In framing all the legislation we produced since the lifting of the blanket eviction ban, the concern I had and that was raised with me legally related to how legally sound the measure was. Anything we introduce has to be proportionate, whether people like it or not. Members will understand that we have to have targeted protections. Last July, this matter was being debated and Members raised grave concerns over massive increases, a tsunami of evictions and such issues. We must not, and I will not, be complacent about these issues but Members should note that what they predicted has not come to pass, thankfully. The number of homeless persons has continued to reduce, in the main. It is still far too high; there is no question about that.

There are many other points that Deputy Boyd Barrett and others have discussed here that form part of a wider debate on rental and tenancies, as opposed to what is covered by the amendments, but I must state this is the fifth item of tenancy-related legislation that has been introduced and there will be more. There will be more changes in advance of the recess. There will be a rent and tenancy reform Bill in the autumn and the Housing for All plan will be published in a matter of weeks. The latter will deal with rolling out cost rental, in particular, and increasing our housing supply, which is what we need.

I do not want to get into the whole housing debate. While it is valid and relevant, I am trying to stay focused on extending measures that we need. While only 455 people have accessed the protections referred to by Deputy Cian O'Callaghan, the fact that those protections exist has had an impact. I would rather a lower number, because only between 1% and 2% of tenancies ever end up in dispute. There are 300,000 tenancies and we have to make sure that, in the main, the relationship between tenant and landlord is good and that the protections for them are good and robust. I cannot accept any of the measures proposed in amendments Nos. 4 to 9, inclusive. The measures I am introducing are proportionate and time-bound. Were something else to happen in the autumn — God forbid — and additional, stronger protections were needed, I would come back to this House and introduce them, as I have shown in the past. I have demonstrated that I have been good to my word on that. Therefore, I cannot accept amendments Nos. 4 to 9, inclusive.

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