Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I thank IHREC for this excellent report and for the work that has gone into it. This is a serious report. It is a good, methodological study. It makes the best use of the data that are available, although there, as the report points out, serious gaps. The report does a service to making people's housing needs more visible, especially those of lone parents, people with disabilities, Travellers and migrants. Their housing needs often are not visible enough.

This matter deserves a more considered response than we got from the Government this evening. I hope that we do get such a response. When listening to the Minister of State's comments, I got the sense that there is a lack of acceptance of reality. He talked about how homelessness is decreasing. In the past five months, homelessness has increased. There was no mention of that by the Minister of State. One would think, given the seriousness of this report and its recommendations, that he would at least acknowledge that, and one would hope that he would talk about what measures the Government is going to put in place to address the fact that homelessness has increased in the past five months.

The Minister of State told us that the vast majority of landlord and tenant relationships are working well. I do not know what reality the Government is operating in if it believes that. The justification for that is the Minister of State's comment to the effect that less than 2% of tenancies become the subject of disputes referred to the RTB. The latter gives rise some sort of conclusion that the relationships are working well. If that is genuinely what the Minister of State believes, he misunderstands the position with regard to the major problems in the private rental sector and the power imbalance that exists. That power imbalance affects all renters and tenants. It particularly affects people who already feel that they are at an extra level of risk and who have additional difficulties in finding alternative accommodation. That can include people with disabilities, migrants, Travellers and lone parents. These people already find it difficult to source accommodation. If they do find accommodation and are having problems with their landlords, they can, while trying to assert their rights, be scared out of their wits about what could happen because there are so many grounds for eviction.

I want to read one testimony from a lone parent who is renting. This is good work done by Dr. Rory Hearne. The testimony states:

My marriage broke up 17 years ago. I left the (rented) home and started renting myself. Through unemployment, part-time and full-time work, studying for a degree and post-grad teaching qualification and bringing up two children, I have never missed paying my rent, mostly on my own, sometimes with state help. I have never been in a position to save.

The testimony later states:

I have no idea ... how I'll manage when I retire in 8 years given that the pension will just about cover the rent. I try not to think about it.

Another testimony states:

Was renting with two kids (one with autism and learning difficulties) in 2017 when landlord raised rent beyond means. Then said he was giving place to daughter. Before 3 months were up it was back on the rental market. Took it to the RTB who found in my favour and fined €9000. He took it to tribunal and basically talked the whole time not giving me much time to speak and they found in his favour. ... Anyway moved 9 times in 12 years and effect on child with autism devastating. Hates changing. Went to ask for HAP or some stability and told I earn too much. Over 70% of salary on rent. So basically no help from DCC or RTB or this government. Single parent. Single income.

That is the reality for many tenants.

This report deserves a more serious response from the Government than telling us that homelessness is decreasing when it is increasing and that the vast majority of tenants and landlords have a perfectly good relationship when there is such a huge power imbalance that most tenants feel they cannot assert their rights. I have figures from the Residential Tenancies Board this week showing that sanctions were imposed on landlords in only 28 of more than 220 cases where it investigated rent cap breaches. Enforcement is not working and this report deserves a considered response.

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