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

We heard today the testimony of 76-year-old Liz, who was supported by Threshold when she was handed a notice of termination. She stated: "Every hour I’d be wondering ... whether I’d be locked out. I’m too old and too sick for the streets." This is just one story out of more than 12,000 households that accessed Threshold’s services in 2022, as we saw from its annual report, which was launched this morning. Threshold saw a 12% increase in just one year. This shows just how weak renters’ rights and protections are. As the Government has not passed laws to protect tenants, the situation is getting worse. At 1 p.m., the Irish Council for International Students, the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, and Threshold will brief Members in the audiovisual room on a new survey on the harrowing experiences of international students who are renting in Ireland. The report tells a sorry tale of poor conditions, including dampness and overcrowding, and exorbitant rents, with 5% of respondents being asked for sex for rent. Will the Government pass the Labour Party’s renters’ rights Bill, which we introduced two years ago and would see greater protections for renters?

See this speech in context