Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In two and half years, rents in the private sector have increased by an incredible 23%. Renting is more expensive than ever before, without any security in exchange. In a house in Portobello, three single people received notification from their landlord that they would be getting a notice to quit because a family member would be moving into the house. This is a result of the reckless decision to lift the eviction ban. Under this Government, the private rental sector has shrunk every single year for six years. There is no plan or measure to address the consequences of that. No, I am sorry, there is. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, wrote back to these three folks in Portobello to talk about the measures that would be in place, including the council's ability to purchase the home in Portobello - a great use of public money - or perhaps the people might be in a position to purchase the home. I will stop him there because those three single people are certainly not in a position to purchase that home. I wonder what planet this Government is on. We have not turned a corner in housing. It is quite the opposite; we are in a vicious cycle. The private rental sector is only one example of that. We need a new Government and a complete new direction on housing policy that will meet people's needs.