Rent pressure zones and rent certainty
Deputy Ó Broin cited a Focus Ireland report on renters struggling with rent and asked the Government to extend rent pressure zone protections and support real rent certainty. The Minister said rental certainty measures and HAP supports were in place, were being reviewed, and that the main focus was on increasing supply.
Today, Focus Ireland published a report highlighting the fact that one in three renters is struggling to pay their rent. In December, the House passed the rent pressure zone legislation which currently covers 12 areas. Many struggling renters are not covered by the legislation and are at risk of losing their homes. Will the Government reconsider changing the criteria in the legislation to make it available to all struggling renters? More importantly, will it reconsider its opposition to real rent certainty to deal with the crisis in the rental sector?
Comment on this
As I outlined earlier, the Minister has introduced a framework to provide greater rental certainty and put a cap on increases. He is also rolling out the HAP programme which will only come into effect next month in Dublin. A pilot HAP programme is operating in Dublin, whereby people at risk of homelessness can get access to an uplift on the amount paid to them. Initiatives are in place. The Minister continues to review the operation of all of those initiatives to try to make sure that, where possible, they can be improved. As I mentioned to Deputy Howlin, the focus is on supply which, as everyone recognises, is the long-term solution to the pressure in the rental sector.