Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The intention of these amendments, which were introduced following consultation with the Department of Social Protection and the Department of the environment, Community and Local Government, is to prohibit, in the provision of accommodation, discrimination in regard to a tenant or prospective tenant on the basis that the person is or is not in receipt of rent supplement, or that the person's income in whole or in part is or is not provided by a State as a relevant social welfare payment or by housing assistance payment. However, this will be without prejudice to the landlord's rights under any rule of enactment regulating the provision of accommodation and to the right of a person providing accommodation to require that rent supplement be paid directly to him or her. HAP is paid directly to landlords under separate legislative provisions, which do not need to be repeated in these provisions.

The new "housing assistance ground" is drafted such that it applies only to the provision of rental accommodation, so as to avoid any unintended consequences. However, advertising is expressly captured because of the way in which the definition of "prohibited conduct" in section 2 of the 1998 Act operates.

It is absolutely appropriate that a person who is in receipt of a rent supplement or assistance payment and can meet the rent set by a landlord should not be discriminated against simply because of the source of his or her income. We have a serious housing crisis in Dublin city and elsewhere in the State. This is a reform for which my Department can and has taken responsibility. It do not pretend it will solve our housing problems, but it is a small and necessary step in the right direction. I commend the amendments to the House.