Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I fully support this motion's intention to support renters, who are stuck right in the middle of the worst housing crisis that we have seen in the history of the State, and whose situation only seems to look more and more bleak, despite the fact that this same crisis has been going on for years. I recall the former Taoiseach, or perhaps the present Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, declaring the homeless and housing crisis a national emergency over three years ago. What I want to know is what has been done to address this emergency in the three years since. We are in the exact same, if not worse, position as we were then.

We all know that high rents have, disgracefully, been a characteristic of the private rental market in Dublin for a long time. I find it extremely concerning, however, to learn that other counties are also experiencing rent inflation, with increases of more than 10% year on year. That is where Airbnb has not taken over all the properties. This is especially concerning when considering mica-affected families, who are being forced into the rental market, in the middle of this crisis, while also paying mortgages on their homes because the Government refuses to address their needs and award them the 100% redress they deserve. It is a truly shocking situation and it is an unfair stress to put on the people of Donegal, who did nothing wrong. It is an unfair stress to put on their children too, who should not have to worry about their parents' financial situation or where they will live. Every child in this country deserves to experience the freedom of childhood without worry or stress. The Government is taking away this freedom and their childhood by forcing such stress on them at such a young age.

I urge every Deputy, in particular every Government Deputy, to get out and speak to the mica-affected children from Donegal when they make the trip all the way to Dublin to tell them about their experiences outside the gates of Leinster House at 11.30 a.m. tomorrow. If they are willing to take a day off school and make the four-hour journey to stand outside those gates all day, the very least we can do is come down from our offices to see them, talk to them and listen to them. We must listen to the stories of how they were forced to grow up too fast and understand what they should not yet have to understand. We must see how this is affecting them and how every day the Government delays the publication of the redress scheme, weighs on them. When they see this, then they can come back in here and tell me how these families and these children do not deserve a safe and secure home.

In looking for solutions to the rental crisis, one would think that the Government would use every resource at its disposal. But, as Dr. Rory Hearne wrote in the Irish Examineryesterday: "Why is NAMA not being used as a source of affordable housing by the Government?" It is unbelievable to think that there is a wholly debt-free, State-owned agency with €1.2 billion in funding reserves and 577 ha of residential development land that could accommodate 80,000 social and cost rental homes. Yet, despite the spiralling cost of rents, and the fact that we are facing what has been acknowledged as a national emergency, nothing has been done to utilise this. The Minister for Finance has the ability to direct NAMA to stop the sale of its land and to build social and cost rental homes. Why is he not doing this? I call on the Government to release a map with the details of all the land that NAMA holds. It would be very interesting to look at it.

While I fully support the introduction of emergency measures to cut rents, the three-year ban on rent increases, the NCT-style certification for landlords, the tenancies of indefinite duration and the delivery of affordable student accommodation, this motion does not go far enough to protect renters and to deliver the large-scale affordable housing that is needed. The Government will unfortunately not do even what is called for in the motion for ideological reasons. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party have an ideological stance that the market will provide and will look after housing. The market has been doing a great job so far of providing for the vulture funds and the people who are profiting on the backs of those who are unfortunate and who have been left behind. They will continue to be left behind, because as long as Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party are in government, that is the way it is going to be.

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