Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his kind and gracious words and all of those who gave me such a warm welcome today on my first day in big school, as it feels. I am very grateful and honoured to have been elected last week to represent my home constituency of Dublin Bay South. I am just over the moon to be here. I thank all of those who supported me. I thank my amazing campaign team, my parliamentary Labour Party colleagues, my director of elections, Deputy Duncan Smith, and my great campaign manager, Dermot Ryan. I also thank Chloe Manahan, Paul Daly and all my family. I thank everyone so much.

We campaigned on four key issues in the by-election. These were housing, childcare and eldercare, community facilities and climate justice. We heard a strong mood and appetite for change on these issues. I promised all of those to whom I spoke about housing, and whose stories I listened to about their experiences as renters facing insecurity of tenure, fears about rent hikes and evictions, that the first thing I would do, and the first issue I would raise in the Dáil if elected, would be protection for renters. Will the Taoiseach and the Government be willing to support the Bill I have prepared along with my colleague, Senator Rebecca Moynihan, which is before the Bills Office and would provide protection to renters, tenants and those living in rental accommodation against rent hikes and evictions and would provide for a better quality of life?

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