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

I am speaking to my amendments Nos. 5 to 7, inclusive. We have very high rents as it is. They are unaffordable for many people and causing a huge amount of stress and anxiety. Dublin has the highest rents of any capital city in the European Union. Where does Dublin feature in the rankings for wages in European cities? It is 26th for wage levels, yet we have the highest rents in the EU. Across Ireland, rents are unaffordable, yet this Bill allows for rent increases of 2% through the rent pressure zone mechanism, which has been breached since it was introduced. The latest figures show it has not been observed in any county and that rent increases have been about 7% when they should not have exceeded 4%.

It is important that the Government listen to what people are saying and accept these amendments. It must put in place an immediate freeze on rent increases and remove the provision for cumulative rent increases, as proposed in amendment No. 6. There is no absence of legal opinion that the Oireachtas is constitutionally within its rights to act in the common good to bring in a ban on rent increases and that it would be proportionate. It is the function of the courts to interpret how we set the law but not to make law. There is plenty of eminent legal opinion to back up that view. I urge the Government to accept all these amendments.

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