Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Ó Broin. We did discuss this matter. I welcome the support for the Bill. We know that in the instance of multiple occupancy, cost-rental tenants derive a number of benefits such as security of tenure, below-market rents and high-quality housing. However, in some cases it is envisaged that incomes could rise and, as individual circumstances change, there may be opportunities to move on to different accommodation situations, to other cost rental in the private market or to purchase a home. We discussed this with stakeholders in the AHBs. If two households or individuals apply for a property but are two separate individuals, I do not envisage a situation where someone would be stuck in an arrangement.

Deputy Ó Broin mentioned a valid point yesterday about the transfers between AHBs and social housing. As the cost-rental housing stock increases, we may have a situation where someone wants to move out to buy a house. They will be treated as two distinct entities sharing the one property. They are not coterminous in that sense and one person will not be stuck with the other.

Bearing that in mind, we will work through the regulations in that regard. People's lives and circumstances change and they might not wish to continue with an arrangement. They will have the normal notice periods. The replacement of tenants in a cost-rental lease would happen with the landlord's consent, but in order to regulate matters and ensure that eligibility criteria are not circumvented, the Minister may prescribe how a landlord can give his or her consent to the removal or replacement of tenants or their addition to a tenancy contract. Again, we would do that in regulations. The required regulations in respect of this will be drafted in the coming months.

We have consulted on this as well. This has been an ask of our cost-rental partners. When we are making multiple occupancy a reality, we will have regulations to underpin that. As part of the process, we will be working with providers to draw upon their expertise in drafting the regulations, as well as exploring mechanisms to facilitate transfers - for argument's sake, right-sizing within and between cost-rental homes.

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