Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

Renting has never been more expensive or less secure than under the Taoiseach's Government. This week, daft.ie published its figures for the rental market for the start of this year. Rents are now climbing faster than at any point in the previous 20 years. Average new rents are now over €2,000 a month. That is an eye-watering €24,000 a year on rent. In Dublin city, new rents now average €2,500 a month. That comes to a €30,000 yearly rent bill. In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, how can working people afford these rents? How an earth could anyone save for a home while paying such extortionate rent? People are getting ripped off and they are sick of it. It is no surprise that young people are going to Canada and Australia. What chance do they really have to make their life here?

It has never been harder to rent a home, buy a home or get a council home. We are in the middle of a housing emergency. It is a crisis that requires emergency measures but there is absolutely no sense of urgency from the Government. I have never seen a Government move so slowly or achieve so very little. In six months, the Government's most significant piece of legislation was to increase the wages for the biggest ministerial team ever seen. We have seen week after week of statements and committees limping into place. It is a real do-nothing Government. Of course, it blames everyone else for its failures. It is the Opposition's fault. It is the local councils' fault. Now, the Taoiseach's housing Minister is blaming the one modest protection that renters have; the rent pressure zones.

In an interview with the Irish Examiner, the Minister for housing, Deputy James Browne, said that rent caps were "significantly inhibiting the delivery of apartments in Dublin.". To decode that, what he actually means is that vulture funds are telling him in order to invest, they want to charge even higher rents. The Minister said there has to be change. He said there is no question about that. What does he mean? Does he mean the rent pressure zone cap is to be raised? Does he mean that landlords can reset the rent between tenancies to new market rents? Does he mean that new rental properties will be completely exempt from control? Renters need to know what the Taoiseach's Minister means because any of these measures will mean even higher rip-off rents for tenants.

Tá an cíos ag méadú níos tapúla anois ná ag am ar bith le 20 bliain anuas. I lár ghéarchéim costas maireachtála ina bhfuil an praghas ar gach uile rud ag dul in airde, conas atá oibrithe in ainm is a bheith in ann €2,000 a íoc in aghaidh na míosa mar chíos? Tá a fhios ag daoine go bhfuil drochmhargadh á dhéanamh leo agus tá siad braon de.

In the same interview, the Minister, Deputy Browne, promised to protect renters. That is gaslighting renters - he is speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He tells landlords they can jack up rents while at the same time, he promises tenants protection. Of course, that is not possible. He cannot do both of those things at the same time. Can the Taoiseach and his Government come clean? Are they caving into the demands of vulture funds for even higher rents or are they going to give renters a break and stop these rip-off rent increases once and for all?

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