Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support the amendment tabled by Senator Coffey. I commend Senator Warfield on the publication of the Bill and bringing it to the House. Contrary to what Senator Black said, the Government is prepared to work with everybody to ensure the Bill is a better Bill. That is why the amendment being put by Government is a reasonable and fair one.

All of us recognise that we have travelled some road in terms of the need to put in place strict advertising guidelines on the principles around which properties can be advertised. I have to be honest and say that I have been with potential tenants who have wanted to rent a property. I have gone with them to look at the property and what one sees in a glossy brochure is way different to what is the reality. That is something on which myhome.ieput in place a sort of a code and procedures in 2017. The issue of equality in terms of advertising is also something that we should look at and work with.

Given that our model of delivery of housing is that we are moving towards a European style where people are living more in urban areas of the inner city and in dwellings that are less than habitable, there must be a balance struck between the need to enforce and penalise and the need to upgrade. I have never been afraid to work with residents to bring landlords to the then Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB, to maintain and upgrade properties.

Equally, we need private landlords to be part of the housing solution. It is important a standard is upheld in terms of renting. I suppose my primary focus is that I genuinely support the overarching principle the Bill is trying to achieve. We need to place an emphasis on landlords being good landlords. That means living in communities among people with property that is not only fit for habitation but is a home.

Just this week, the residents' association where I live handed in the notice for the collection of the so-called "dues" to pay for the maintenance of the public area.