Nessa Cosgrove (Labour) | Oireachtas source

Tá fáilte romhat, a Aire. Beir bua agus go n-éirí an t-ádh leat i do phost nua.

I commend my colleague Senator Laura Harmon on introducing this Bill and welcome to the Gallery all the people who have worked very hard with her on bringing it forward. I also commend the Cross-Party Group.

This Bill is about protecting the vulnerable and marginalised, and it is about clamping down on predators who are taking advantage of the housing crisis to target vulnerable people. It is vital we do not view the content of this Bill without considering the context, as Senator Harmon has outlined. A chronic housing shortage that has endured for more than a decade now and resulted in more than 15,000 people without a home has produced a huge number of vulnerable people at risk of this most heinous form of exploitation. The need for shelter is one the most basic needs of a person, and those who are targeted with sex-for-rent ads are often the most vulnerable. They include those in poverty, those fleeing domestic violence and those with mental health issues. While we legislate against this outrageous and unacceptable behaviour, we also need to address the ongoing systematic shortage of available accommodation. Symptoms of the housing shortage, which increases the vulnerability of people to exploitation, include increased numbers of house purchases, which have risen by 13% in County Sligo and are expected to rise by another 10% in 2024, and increased rent levels, which in Leitrim, in my constituency, have soared to whopping 98% since the start of the pandemic.

I want to talk about student accommodation in particular. As Senator Harmon has outlined so clearly, every town and city with a substantial college or university is experiencing a shortage of student accommodation. In the north west, the development of the Atlantic Technological University has been one of the biggest success stories of recent years. We have seen the amalgamation of six college campuses into a single university entity. This means in excess of 23,000 students can access a genuinely world-class education in the north west. However, the success of this project has come with a cost. In Sligo alone, 10,000 students study full time, part time or online, and while new flexibilities, particularly around online study, relieve some of the pressure on accommodation, there are significant shortfalls. Our over-reliance on the private sector to provide houses for students has led to the loss of beds that were supposed to be dedicated for student use. The beds are often relocated for other services.

I could go on and on but will just commend Senator Harmon once again. I support her in saying that while the housing catastrophe continues and we are unlikely to see the elimination of sex-for-rent exploitation, we can pass this Bill, which would criminalise those advertising sex for rent and create a clear offence that could be reported to the Garda. This Bill will not end the housing catastrophe but will forbid the advertising or requesting of sexual services for no or low rent. It would send a clear message that this predatory behaviour will not be tolerated in Ireland and that perpetrators will face serious consequences.