Johnny Mythen (Wexford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank my party colleagues Deputies Farrell and Ó Broin for introducing the Bill. It is a short but sensible and practical Bill that protects both students who are renting a room in a home and the proprietor of that home.

Under the current setup, students and workers staying in digs have little or no protection under the legislation. For instance, students have no rights to lock their doors or use kitchen facilities. They can be evicted overnight. Their rent can be increased at any time and without notice and they have no entitlement to a rent book. Unfortunately, due to the neglect in providing proper affordable accommodation over many years, this is the situation we have in 2024. Students are being fleeced and face extortion when it comes to affordable rents when it comes to the so-called free housing market, which leaves them with the only viable path of renting a room in someone's home, very often sharing a room with four people or more, reminiscent of the infamous tenements.

In my own county of Wexford, due to the unaffordable rents in Dublin students face a six-hour round trip commute to the city. It was described in the local newspaper and on local radio as one of the longest commutes in the country. This is why we need more affordable student accommodation in our capital and other cities. We recognise the digs rental sector is vital and very often the only affordable means for thousands of our students. Both student renters and homeowners will benefit from the Bill. It would provide real reform and benefits to all concerned as it would legislate for a formal statutory licence agreement and ensure greater affordability and security for thousands of students. It would also give security and peace of mind to many elderly people who let out a room in their homes in the form of access to mechanisms through the RTB, for example, when rents are not paid on time, antisocial behaviour takes place or damage to their property occurs. Student renters need to have their rights protected by legislation. The Bill will provide a more robust legal standing for both parties and I welcome the fact the Minister of State is not opposing it.

See this speech in context