Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Bill and thank Deputy Cian O'Callaghan and the Social Democrats for bringing it forward. Sex for rent is a shocking concept. The fact that people who are looking to rent a property should have to give in to this awful exploitation to gain a roof over their head is so wrong as to be quite unbelievable in this day and age. I cannot for the life of me understand the mentality of those renting out a property who would somehow see this type of exploitation as normal practice. As the Bill states, this activity should be illegal and those who engage in it, advertise it and promote it should be met with the full rigours of the law. Research shows this abhorrent practice is mostly perpetrated upon women and migrant renters, that is, those who are perceived as weak by the people who see this as an acceptable practice.

As other speakers said, this disgusting activity can only happen within a dysfunctional rental market, which has been created by the Government and its predecessors due to the abandonment of the social and affordable housing market to the private sector. Extortionate rents will only lead to an increase in this particularly horrible arrangement, with people desperate to find accommodation. Legislation must be enacted to make this practice a stand-alone crime carrying a heavy sentence for anyone found to be engaging in it. There is no place for this kind of practice to exist in any society. The Government also must look at its housing policy to ensure renters are protected and the rental market is fit for purpose in order that these unscrupulous landlords and subletters cannot capitalise on this practice. Those found to be engaging in sex for rent agreements should be jailed, fined and banned from ever renting out a property in the future.

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