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

I thank the Minister for his response, but the figures he has provided are cold comfort to the more than 4,700 people who received notices to quit between January and March. The State exams are beginning next week and we all wish those sitting their junior and leaving certificate exams the best, but it is a particularly difficult time for the parents of children who are sitting those exams who are among the more than 4,700 people who have received notices to quit and, therefore, lack housing security. Last Friday's homelessness data showed that more than 12,000 people, including more than 3,500 children, are in homelessness. We know these official figures mask the number of hidden homeless, for example, those couch surfing or bunking in with relatives. It is simply not good enough for families and their children who are sitting State exams that we have this level of housing insecurity as a direct result of a Government decision to lift a no fault eviction ban that was providing much-needed housing security to thousands of renters. I appeal to the Minister to adopt Labour's Residential Tenancies (Tenants' Rights) Bill 2021.

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