Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss this legislation, particularly in light of announcements in recent weeks. We have known for a number of years that a shortage of housing and an absence of meaningful rent regulations were leading to continual and unsustainable rent increases across the State. As Senator van Turnhout mentioned, data from daft.ieshow that, since September, rents have risen across the State by 3.2%. However, it is not just an issue that is restricted to the cities and urban centres. In my constituency, for example, the increase in Monaghan in September was recorded at 6.8%, and in Cavan the increase was an astonishing 10%. That is not to mention the increase of between 8.9% and 13.5% last year in urban centres. Foot-dragging on how to tackle the crisis has encouraged landlords to raise rents even further in preparation for the measures coming down the line.

With regard to our amendment, No. 103, and the Minister of State's amendment No. 53, we welcome the decision to delay rent reviews by a further 12 months. For the past five years, Sinn Féin has been calling on the Government to implement a system of regulation of rents that would not only limit increases, but also deal directly with existing unaffordable rents, as has been done with great success in cities such as Berlin. The PRTB should be empowered to set local standard rates with a maximum deviation based on the size of the accommodation. Amendment No. 104, in our name, would achieve that. The standards could be imposed by existing tenants via a review request when one becomes available, and new tenancies would be required to meet these standards immediately. As I stated, Berlin has implemented a similar model with great success. There has already been a decrease in rents in that city of approximately 5%.

We all know rents are too high now. If they were frozen, they would still be too high next year. It is important to remember that. It is the reality for all tenants in the State, especially those in the capital. It is important that we, as legislators, do something to try to address this, and that is why we have tabled amendments Nos. 102 to 104, inclusive. We recognise that amendment No. 103 is unnecessary given the Minister of State's amendment, No. 53.