Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In these amendments, I am trying to address an issue of lengthy tenancies. Some people rent for their whole life. For persons who may have been renting for 15 or 20 years and older people there is a particular vulnerability for older people who may be trying to seek housing in a new market and may either have a very limited fixed income in terms of pension or, sometimes, a very insecure employment or partial employment, which can cause real difficulties. I refer to the classic phrase "young professionals" which is often used by landlords. The amendments seek an increase in the notice periods to increase the protection for persons. Currently, our schedule taps out at eight years. I want it to address those who have been renting for ten, 15 or 20 years and to further increase their protections.However, I believe there is an anomaly in my amendment. Four to seven years is a single category on the current schedule, and in my system of calculations of two-year periods, those with a six-year tenancy might randomly slightly decrease their period of notice, even though everybody in pretty much every other year would benefit. In that regard, I am minded to withdraw the amendment. I urge the Minister of State to address the issue of longer tenancies, not just by looking at the eight-year period but by having a longer period of notice for those who have been in very long tenancies and who could, in many cases, be especially vulnerable in re-entering the rental market.