There have been angry scenes in the Dáil over proposed changes to rental rules.
Minister for Housing James Browne defended the Government’s plans to change the legislation on rent, which is due to commence in March.
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin asked the minister if he would bring what he called his “rip off rent” bill next week, which he said would mean higher rents for the overwhelming majority of renters.
Minister Browne said the decision was made last year to introduce new rent rules on 1 March, which would provide significantly stronger protection for renters.
Minister Browne said the changes were informed by the work of the Housing Agency’s review of Rent Pressure Zones and a review of the market, as well as the desire to retain landlords.
“It was also to consider whether Rent Pressure Zones should be retained.”
He said the review identified that Ireland’s current Rent Pressure Zone system was “severe”, meaning that rent increases might not keep pace with inflation.
He said the review recommended allowing landlords to reset rents to market levels between tenancies, while strengthening protection for tenants to guard against “economic evictions”.
He said the legislation may see some inflation in rents, but that would moderate with an increase in supply.
Mr Ó Broin said the average tenancy was three to three and a half years and pointed out that students typically rent from year to year.
He said this meant that many renters would see their rent rise.
“Over a period of four years, the overwhelming majority of tenants…will move to even higher rip off rents.”
He accused the minister of misleading the Dáil and that the department had done no analysis of the impact of the legislation.
Labour’s Housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan said “rents need to come down” and said that students in particular would see their rents rise.
The Social Democrats Housing spokesman, Rory Hearne, pointed to the cost-of-living crisis and rising homeless figures.
He said that “hundreds of thousands of renters in the coming years” would not be able to afford the new market rent, asking if the minister agreed that rents would rise as a result of changes he was about to make.
“Where before there had been a 2% rent cap, now that was going to change.”
Minister Browne said that rent had risen recently due to a lack of supply, saying the new changes would bring security of tenure for the first time in the history of the State.
“If you don’t get more supply, rents are never going to come down.”
He said there was already an increase in commencements and applications for planning permissions as a result of the announcement of the changes in legislation.
He said the opposition was not providing any alternative solutions for funding.
“Where are you taking the capital funding from? Schools, roads?”
“This protects renters, and it also drives investment into the delivery of homes.”
Mr Ó Broin said the only certainty was that “hard-pressed renters” would see rents rise and called for increased supply of social and affordable housing, and said he was acting “at the behest of large corporate landlords”.
Mr Ó Broin said they would oppose the legislation “tooth and nail”.
Mr Sheehan said Labour had always come forward with amendments to legislation, and accused him of guillotining the legislation.
“Would you, notwithstanding your views on a rent freeze…would you accept an amendment in this legislation to allow for a rent break?”
He said this would mean that if rents went to a certain level, something would kick in to stop them rising further.
Mr Hearne said the Government was “completely out of touch” and that the minister was “captured by the investment funds”.
“You’re working with the institutional investors to bring more funding in here that will build more build-to-rent units that people can’t afford.”
He said it was absolutely disgraceful that the Government was introducing legislation that would lead to higher rents.
Minister Browne accused the opposition of repeating lines.
Mr Ó Broin said the minister’s party had “lied during the election”, which Minister Browne said was against the rules of the house.
Leas-Cheann Comhairle John McGuinness warned Mr Ó Broin to speak through the chair and said he knew what the rules were, saying, “please conduct your debate in a civil and mannerly way”.
Department was aware of script for controversial advice video
Minister Browne has confirmed his department was aware of the script for a controversial video giving advice on young people returning to their family home because of the housing crisis before it was broadcast.
The video, which included young people giving advice on how to make returning home more palatable for all involved, has been criticised by some people affected for focusing on the consequences of the housing crisis rather than seeking solutions to it.
Minister Browne admitted “video scripts relating to various aspects of the campaign were flagged to my department prior to finalising and uploading online”, but said this was for “fact-checking” reasons.
Answering questions from Mr Hearne in the Dáil, Minister Browne said the video was sought by the Housing Agency, which collaborated with campaign group SpunOut.
He said the reason for it was to highlight housing issues affecting young people.
However, despite previously telling the Oireachtas Housing Committee his officials did not have a role in the video, asked specifically when he knew of the video in the Dáil, Minister Browne confirmed this was not the case.
Mr Hearne said this contradicts the minister’s previous committee remarks, which the Social Democrats TD said, “you said four times the department didn’t have a role in the video”.
Mr Hearne asked Minister Browne to clarify if an Irish Examiner report was correct to say that the department did know “as early as 11 August, and that the minister’s own special adviser had been consulted”.
Minister Browne responded by saying, “I became aware when I was seeing the re-tweet (of the video) the night before the (Oireachtas housing) committee, that’s the first time I became aware of it”.
He then told Mr Hearne to stop “going down the rabbit hole of who knew what and when”, before saying “lessons have been learned”.