Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am delighted to welcome the Minister and his officials and I thank him for bringing this important legislation before the House. As the Minister stated, there is nothing more important in any of our lives than to have a secure home and to have a place to call home. I am on the record as stating that after Covid-19, climate action and Brexit, I do not believe this Government has any bigger challenge than to address the housing crisis and the lost decade of housing delivery our country is struggling to overcome. I wish the Minister well with his challenge. I think that he has got off to a really good start and there is good energy and ambition regarding his plan.The €3.3 billion allocation in the budget for housing is warranted and we really need to see it delivered. The Minister and his Department have already put significant supports in place for renters, including the housing assistant payment, HAP, scheme, the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, and the emergency rent allowance. The Government is providing close to €1 billion under those supports, which is very important and appropriate.

The previous Bill the Minister introduced to protect renters from rent increases and evictions was welcome. While none of us likes Bills being rushed through the House or forced on us, we understand where the Minister is coming from in his approach to the legislation before us today. In an emergency, people need an emergency response from the Government. We support this well-balanced Bill which affords further protection for renters. Most renters are already availing of the protections that are in place but this Bill ensures those provisions can be used any time in the future when restrictions are activated or applied.

The Minister made an important point about antisocial behaviour. When most people are doing all they can to suppress the virus and behave as responsibly as possible, it is really upsetting to see antisocial behaviour at any level but particularly when it relates to people's homes. Parts of my constituency have home ownership rates of less than 10%. I know the Minister is going to help me to reverse that horrible trend. It is critical that everybody plays his or her part during this pandemic and that the State has the power to act, and does act, against those who do not. I commend the Minister on bringing this legislation forward swiftly. I hope that the House will support it and that we can move forward with the rest of our important business today.