Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 30 Nov 2023

It with great sadness that I learned of the death of Shane MacGowan, a musical icon I think we can all agree. Shane will be remembered as one of the greatest songwriters of his generation, greatly inspired by his Irish roots, history and family. Shane brought his unique style to all corners of the world and his music will continue to be enjoyed for generations to come. On behalf of Sinn Féin, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Victoria, his extended family, his wide circle of friends and all who loved him and loved his music. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

Léiríonn an tuarascáil ón mBord um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe inniu an t-ardú uafásach ar chíosanna ar fud an Stáit. Tá méadú 12% tagtha ar chíosanna nua agus tá na cíosanna atá ansin le tamall ardaithe níos mó ná 5%. Leis an Rialtas seo, tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta ag dul in olcas agus caithfimid cosc a chur ar ardaithe cíosanna agus tacaíocht a thabhairt fosta do chíosóirí trí chíos míosa a chur ar ais ina bpócaí.

Today the Government broke a new record. Today's report from the Residential Tenancies Board reveals rent increases that are nothing short of shocking. Families, workers and young people deserve better. They need affordable housing and affordable rents, but this Government does not care about renters and this is very clear to see. In the past year, new rents have increased by almost 12% across the State. This is the highest annual increase ever since these increases started to have been recorded more than 15 years ago. The average new rent across the State is almost €1,600 per month. Does the Tánaiste know what this means for an average renter? It means that he or she will have to find an extra €2,000 more on top of the existing rent to meet the new rents being charged compared with this time last year. These are punishing rent hikes. In Dublin, new rents are now €2,105 per month.

It is not just new tenants who are suffering. Existing tenants are also being fleeced, with existing rents rising by 5% across the State. In my own county of Donegal, existing rents have spiked by 10% in the past year, which is unsustainable for renters, families and communities. It is clear there are issues with landlords' compliance with the Government's rent pressure caps with existing rent hikes in Dublin now over 5%. Renters cannot keep taking these kind of rent hikes.

The Government tells us it is making an impact on housing but this is simply not true. Let us look at the facts. House prices are up, homeownership is down, rents are out of control and homelessness is at record levels. The Government's plan is failing. The longer the Tánaiste and his party are in office, the worse things get. This report needs to be a wake-up call for everyone on the Government benches. In March, the Tánaiste told us we had turned a corner on housing. If that is true, what is clear from today's report is that it was a bad turn for renters because the housing crisis is deepening for them.

Sinn Féin's proposal to ban rent increases would have prevented what we are seeing in this report today. The Government must urgently introduce a ban on rent increases for existing and new tenancies. It must also put a full month's rent back into renters' pockets.

What is the Tánaiste's response to the shocking revelations of the harsh realities facing renters and that, on his Government's watch, during the past 12 months, rents have increased across the State by 12%? Does he accept that under the Government's housing plan, the condition of renters is getting worse not better and will he commit to banning rent increases and putting one month's rent back into renters' pockets?

Ar dtús, déanaim comhbhrón le clann Shane MacGowan agus a bhean, Victoria, ar a bhás. Níl aon amhras ach ceoltóir den scoth a bhí agus atá ann. I express my deepest sympathies to the wife and family of the late Shane MacGowan, an iconic musician who blended many different musical disciplines and genres but who was particularly influenced by his time in Tipperary. He was very conscious of the traditional musical heritage and interwove that with many others. It is particularly poignant at this time of the year in the context of "Fairytale of New York" with Kirsty McColl, which he wrote as part of a bet that he could write a Christmas song. It is one of the most enduring songs that continues to resonate with all of us. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

I have been very clear and consistent from the moment we began negotiations on the programme for Government that helping people to afford to buy or rent a home is a defining challenge of our time. I have consistently described it as the most important social issue we face. Access to a safe and comfortable home is the bedrock of social stability and progress in our country.

I have been equally consistent in saying that there is only one sustainable solution, which is to build more houses to own or rent. Supply is the key. We need action on every front and action is under way on all fronts and is making a difference. Housing for All remains the most comprehensive and detailed plan in respect of housing yet published. No other political party has published anything approximating the detail and comprehensive nature of Housing for All.

By every measure of home permissions, completions, home purchases, first-time buyers and mortgage drawdowns, we are seeing positive momentum and movement and things are changing for the better. By the end of this year, 100,000 homes will have been built since this Government came into office. We have started a new era of providing social houses in all parts of the country, with up to 30,000 delivered to date. In addition, 22,000 social homes are on site or at design and tender stage. The Land Development Agency is having an impact, with thousands of new affordable and social homes being developed on State-owned and private land.

We are supporting people in the private rental sector who are particularly squeezed because of the lack of available properties and rising rents. We have introduced a new special tax credit for every renter and a series of measures to try to maintain and increase the number of homes available to rent. The problem of derelict and vacant buildings is being targeted with very generous grant schemes and dedicated funding in every corner of the country.

The Deputy must now know that the facts show that every week, 500 first-time buyers are buying a new home. I believe homeownership should be supported, which is why this Government has created and expanded the help-to-buy scheme and the first home scheme, which are helping thousands. The Deputy opposed all of these schemes to help people get out of the rental market and get into affordable homes. We believe homeownership matters and we want to increase homeownership as well as provide social housing.

Regarding the RTB rent index and its main findings, in respect of the existing tenancy statistics, the standardised average rent for existing tenancies is about €1,332. It is the first time where we have significant data on existing tenancies as opposed to new tenancies.

On the Government's watch, not only are rents skyrocketing, in its report, the RTB is telling us that it has never seen such increases before and it has been recording this for 15 years. In the past year, rents have gone up by 12% while, at the same time, homeownership is falling. Does the Tánaiste know the average age of first-time buyers? It is 35 years. Why? It is because the Government's policies are failing them over and over again. How bad does it have to get before the Government recognises that it needs the type of intervention that Sinn Féin has been saying for years we need?

We need to ban rent increases. It is as simple as that, or is the Tánaiste satisfied that areas, such as my county and his county, are seeing double-digit rent increases year on year, that things are getting worse under Fianna Fáil and the Tánaiste and if he is still in government this time next year we will be standing here and saying how worse it is getting again? The Tánaiste keeps telling us we have turned a corner. For those renters, the corner they turned just got worse because a new renter in Dublin is forking out €2,300 more than he or she was this time last year. That is the consequences of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael in government. Will the Government ban rent increases to make sure that what we are seeing does not continue in the time ahead?

Banning rent increases will not produce one additional house. In fact, it would reduce the number of houses available for rent in the market. That would be the impact of Sinn Féin's decision and its entire approach to the matter.

We need to support renters via alleviation through the tax rental credit that we have now but Sinn Féin's proposal-----

Sinn Féin has opposed a hell of a lot. Sinn Féin has opposed new housing schemes across Dublin on State land because they did not contain social housing only. Sinn Féin did not want affordable housing on certain sites in Dublin and it opposed it.

Deputy Doherty has opposed a lot of things which brings me to the conclusion that his policies would make this situation far worse.