Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It has been a long and hard year for all of us. There has been little good news. However, I acknowledge the good news that has been the vaccination programme. More than 50% of the population have received their first dose of a vaccine and 300,000 doses were administered last week. There is an expectation that a further 2 million doses will be administered by the end of June. All of that has happened despite problems with supply and delivery of the vaccine. Huge tribute is due to everybody who has been involved in the vaccination programme. I was lucky enough to get my vaccine last week at DCU. I commend the staff at DCU, the Helix, the Aviva Stadium, Croke Park and all around the country. I was with the Salvation Army last week in King's Inns Street. Staff and volunteers from the HSE and the Department of Health and from NGOs of all sizes right around the country have been involved in saving lives and livelihoods by administering the vaccine. This House should acknowledge that enormous effort and pay tribute to them all.

I raise the issue of protections for renters. The Deputy Leader will be aware that the Government has legislated to protect renters four times during the pandemic. The legislation has protected renters from rent increases and evictions. The current protections for renters who have been negatively impacted by Covid will be in place until 13 July. We are all looking forward to the reopening of society but we acknowledge, and the Government certainly does, that it will not be like turning on a light switch and there will be a need for continued supports. The Deputy Leader should write to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and ask him to look at extending the rental protections that ensure against evictions and rent increases until the end of the year. If he can do that and bring forward emergency legislation, I would ask this House to facilitate that emergency legislation.I also ask that the rent pressure zone loophole that has emerged be tackled at the same time.