Written answers

Thursday, 23 July 2020

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Rental Sector

Photo of Bernard DurkanBernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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136. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the action he will take in terms of reform to address the issue of families having to spend more than half the family income to meet rent payments; if provision will be made by which families can compete with investors in the marketplace to provide themselves with a home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17926/20]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government – Our Shared Future, commits to improving the security and affordability for renters. To achieve this, we will:

- Develop a cost rental model for the delivery of housing that creates affordability for tenants and a sustainable model for the construction and management of homes.

- Support the adequate supply of rental accommodation by ensuring equity and fairness for landlords and tenants.

- Continue the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) change programme, transforming it into an independent and strong regulator for tenants and landlords.

- Reform the Fair Deal scheme to incentivise renting out vacant properties.

- Improve the security of tenure for tenants, through legislating for tenancies of indefinite duration, increasing RTB enforcement and examining incentives for long-term leasing.

- Instruct local authorities as part of their housing strategies to undertake and publish a rental needs assessment.

- Examine the measures that may be needed to support tenants as a result of COVID-19, informed by the forthcoming research from my Department and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).

Subject to Cabinet approval, I aim to introduce residential tenancy legislation in the Houses of the Oireachtas before the summer recess to further protect tenants who have been economically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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