Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach.

I warmly congratulate and tAire Stáit, Teachta Burke, on his appointment which is a well-deserved one and I will welcome him in what I believe is his first visit to the Seanad. He has a big job of work to do but no better man.

This legislation is very welcome. I will pick up on one point that the Minister of State has made which is about striking a balance. This is about being fair and supportive - and rightly so - of tenants who find themselves in difficulty and in desperately challenging situations as a result of this pandemic. It also recognises the constitutional rights of landlords which can sometimes be overlooked. This legislation is trying to achieve what we all want to see which is fairness.

Senator Fitzpatrick is very correct on the challenge we face with the housing crisis, particularly in urban areas. Since 2016, between private and public housing, 50,000 houses were built and in the fullness of time former Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will get credit for at least doing his level best to manage the situation and to get stock built. The one way of dealing with the housing crisis is by building houses. There is a chronic shortage of houses and when one has a situation where supply and demand do not meet and where an equilibrium is not achieved, then, unfortunately, prices go up, and it is expensive for people to try to purchase houses. We have all dealt with people who were not in a position to get a mortgage even though they both had what would be considered well-paid good jobs.

The way one deals with properties for rent is by increasing the supply. The more houses that are built the more properties that are available for rent as well. It is certainly the ambition of this Government to deal with the housing stock situation head-on and to engage in a large-scale building programme. This, in itself, will create jobs in the short to medium term, outside of its long-term benefits to society.