Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Humphreys. I have been a community worker for most of my life and still spend a certain amount of my time trying to find services for which people will not be charged because they cannot afford to pay for them. Some of these are vital services such as counselling and addiction services. Thought should be given to making sure a strong case would have to be made for why a fee would have to be charged. There is no mention of a waiver and there is nothing else in the legislation to protects the most vulnerable who already cannot pay for vital services. The fact that the RTB provides a free service means that it is one of the services they can access. Having a service to advocate for families who cannot advocate for themselves, face intergenerational poverty and educational inequality and are on low incomes is really positive. It is something the Government should continue to support, even if it is stating it is not going to happen in the short term. We do not know what Ireland will look like in three or five years' time or in what way the housing crisis will unfold in the next few years. We will have to make the decision on the charging of fees based on how things are at that time. It is not wise to make a decision to put that provision in place now which could take effect in a year or five or six years' time without knowing what society will look like at that time or understanding the situation in which tenants or vulnerable families will find themselves. If there is an important case to be made, there is no reason the Bill could not be amended at that time.