Nicole Ryan (Sinn Fein)

Across towns and villages, especially in rural Ireland, we see beautiful one-off homes falling into ruin because of probate delays, family disputes and sometimes the absence of a will. These homes are idle for years while people are crying out for a place to live. We must introduce a statutory time limit after which, if a home remains unused or unoccupied, there should be a process for others to take it at their own expense and risk. This would help address the housing need and tackle dereliction in one stroke. It is a common-sense solution, but this alone will not solve the housing crisis.

The Government has announced significant changes to the rent pressure zone system. Landlords will be able to reset rents to market rates between tenancies and new-build apartments will be exempt from the 2% rent cap, with inflation linked increases allowed instead.These reforms may please institutional investors, but they spark serious concerns in the rental market, growing insecurity and systems that risk encouraging tenant evictions in order to secure higher rents. Meanwhile, renters already struggling to stay afloat in the first place will face steeper costs if protections do not keep pace.

Is the Government serious? I do not know if those in government are living in the real world. Whatever world they are living in, it must be nice because they are literally changing things to make matters even harder for people at a time when homelessness is at an all-time high, children are living in consistent poverty and people are being forced to emigrate. They are locked out of systems completely. It sometimes seems the Government is just throwing half-arsed ideas at the wall and looking to see what sticks. I ask that the Minister for housing stop stalling and come before this House to have a debate on this issue as soon as possible. It is a serious issue, and it needs to be resolved.