Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend various enactments with a view to improving the supply of social and affordable housing and to provide for related matters.

This is a comprehensive Bill addressing a number of areas relating to the supply of housing, which is a crucial issue of concern to everybody in the House. The Bill contains a number of measures including one regarding the amount of compensation made in the compulsory acquisition of land and proposes the implementation of the recommendations in the Kenny report of 1973, following on from the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, which examined the proposals in 2004 and found that they did not contravene the Constitution regarding the balance between private property rights and social good. The Bill contains controls on the amount of profit vulture funds can make when they acquire distressed properties. It also deals with reference rents for various parts of the country which the PRTB would set based on average rents in different parts of the country.

One provision which received much discussion was that rents should be controlled in a way that links them to the consumer price index so people who are renting would have some security regarding how much their rents could increase in that they would be directly related to the cost of living. The Bill has a provision regarding security of tenure whereby if a property is being sold, a person who has a lease cannot be put out in order to provide vacant possession for the purchaser. This is an important measure relating to security for renters. The Bill proposes to bring the vacant sites levy forward from 2018, which is in the legislation, to 2017. The Bill also contains a number of other related matters.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the Bill opposed?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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No.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."