Climate, planning and landlord bills
Catherine Murphy asks about the climate, planning and landlord-and-tenant Bills and related housing measures. The Tánaiste says the climate and planning Bills are advancing, but gives no date for the landlord-and-tenant Bill.
For some time we have been promised the publication of the climate Bill. When is that likely to happen? Will the sectoral plans be produced 18 months after the climate Bill is published or will they be produced parallel to it?
I also wish to inquire about the planning (No. 2) Bill, which was promised before Christmas. I asked yesterday about the landlord and tenant Bill. The Taoiseach described the proposals of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, as highly speculative.
We all know there is a housing crisis. Some of the proposals seemed to be very beneficial for the short rather than the medium term. The issue is urgent, but there is no date for the landlord and tenant Bill. The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government has responsibility for Irish Water and for Bills relating to planning, and it is dealing with a disproportionate number of difficulties or issues. Will the issue of housing be pushed down the priority list as a consequence?
Comment on this
The climate Bill was approved by Cabinet yesterday and it is on the A list. The planning and development (No. 2) Bill is on the A list and will be on the way quite shortly. I do not have a date for the landlord and tenant Bill. I understand there were some references to the Minister, Deputy Alan Kelly, examining various features of rent and the desirability of rent certainty, which we have discussed on a number of occasions in respect of people in the private rented sector. No legislation is tabled at this time, but the Department indicated that all options were being examined. The Department has been allocated the largest budget for a very ambitious housing programme in order to open up the properties that local authorities have allowed to be closed up in recent years and to undertake a very ambitious social housing building programme, much of which will be focused in the Dublin area but which also be spread throughout the country. The Minister, Deputy Kelly, will be very capable of delivering that programme as well as delivering on many other issues.
