Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)

The Taoiseach can talk about his 2%, inflation and all the rest of it but if people are going to face astronomical rent increases they cannot afford every six years, Government will drive more people into homelessness. In a country where rents are already incredibly high - among the highest in Europe - the Taoiseach will only make things worse. Will he admit that in the last bullet point of his press release issued today, he is allowing full rent increases up to any level - up to market levels - across the board to any landlord and tenancy affecting any renter? That is what these proposals are about.

"Government policy to increase rents" are not my words; they are the words of homeless charity, Focus Ireland, in describing Government proposals. What Government has done - while we have incredibly high rents here already - is brought forward a proposal to make that situation even worse. It is throwing renters under the bus. Incredibly, Government is planning even more favourable treatment for vulture funds than already exist. These funds currently pay almost no tax and charge some of the highest rents in the country. Now, when it comes to rent regulation, Government is rolling over for them yet again. It is allowing investment funds that control the entire rental stock in an area to jack up rents to what they determine is a market rent every six years. These funds have so much control, they will often be able to decide and determine what a market rent is in an area. Who is in charge here? Is it the Government or the vulture funds?

Homelessness is already at record levels. There are 15,580 people living in homeless emergency accommodation. That includes 4,775 children who are growing up without a home. These proposals of incredible rent increases will drive more families and children into homelessness. How could Government contemplate doing this when homelessness is already at record levels?

In terms of this work the Government has done and these proposals it has put forward, has Government assessed the impact of these proposals? If it has assessed it, will it publish that assessment? Does the Taoiseach know, as a result of these changes, how much rent will be increased and how many more people will be driven into homelessness?

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