Foilsíodh an tuairisc reathúil is déanaí den Bhord um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe ar maidin. Cuirfeadh sé gruaim ar dhuine é a léamh, a Thaoisigh. Sa cheathrú cuid de 2017, bhí ardú 7.4% ar theach a fháil ar cíos.

Tá an cíos ar an mheán €1,054 ar fud an Stát. Tá an cíos ar an mheán €1,511 i mBaile Átha Cliath. I mórcheantar Bhaile Átha Cliath tá costas cíosa níos mó ná €1,100. Tharla sé seo fad agus a bhí do Rialtas i gcumhacht a Thaoisigh. In ainneoin do ráiteas rialta go raibh tú ag déileáil leis an bhfadhb. Tá gnáthdaoine i mBaile Átha Cliath, i gCorcaigh agus ar fud na tíre ag íoc suas le leath dá bpá ar chíos. Tá siad ag maireachtáil ar éigean. Seo iad daoine a éiríonn go moc ar maidin a Thaoisigh. Oibríonn said go crua. Ba mhian leo airgead a sholáthar dá gclanna. Tá éispéis acu. Ba mhaith leo plean a dhéanamh don todhchaí ach ní féidir leo. Tá sé scannalach ach ní ábhar iontais é de bharr thaifead do Rialtas ar chúrsaí tithíóchta.

This morning's quarterly report from the Residential Tenancies Board makes for very grim reading. Average rent levels in Dublin, the greater Dublin area and across the State are utterly scandalous. Yesterday I raised with the Tánaiste the issue of the working poor or the just-getting-by class, as I described them. I set out for him in the clearest way the manner in which these workers and families were struggling and today these scandalous rent figures have been published. They reflect the fact that the Government's stated ambition to achieve rent certainty or affordability is clearly failing. Its policy is failing. That average rent across the State is €1,054 is a cause of shame and disgrace. It is unaffordable for working families, people at work who get up very early in the morning, work very hard and have the modest aspiration of having a secure roof over their heads. What is the Government going to do? The situation is clearly not sustainable. When will the Government introduce real rent certainty?

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as a cuid ceiste. Tá innéacs náisiúnta cíosa an mBord um Thionóntachtaí Cónaithe le foilsiú inniu don ceathrú deireanach de 2017. Taispeánann sé gur ardaigh cíosanna príobháideacha 6.4% ar fud na tíre i gcomparáid leis an tréimhse 12 mhí chéanna in 2016. Mhoilligh an ráta fáis le gnáthchíosanna a ardú 1.1% idir mí Dheireadh Fómhair agus mí na Nollag 2017 i gcomparáid le 2.5% idir mí Iúil agus mí Mheán Fómhair 2017. I am very aware, like everybody on this side of the House, of the pressures people are under when it comes to rising rents. The Deputy referred to people who get up early in the morning, are just about managing and have to work very hard to cover the cost of rent, after which they have to meet other costs such as child care, as well as the general cost of living. People face difficulties in trying to pay rent, while at the same time trying to save money to buy their first home. I do not know if the Deputy had a chance to listen to "Morning Ireland" this morning on which the head of the Residential Tenancies Board spoke about the figures. She spoke from a very informed and balanced point of view. I encourage people who are interested in the facts to listen to the interview because it was very informative.

The index shows that in the fourth quarter of 2017 rents rose by 6.4% across the country. The rate of increase is slowing. The figures show that standard rents increased by only 1.1% in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared with 2.5% in the third quarter. They indicate that in Dublin, for example, rents are increasing at their lowest rates since 2013. That indicates two things to me. It indicates that the market is beginning to stabilise and that what people are willing and able to pay is much closer to what landlords are able to charge. It also shows that the rent pressure zones are starting to work. Of course, these are new tenancies and for new tenancies, rents have increased by 6.4% in the last year and that rate is slowing. For existing tenancies, the rate of increase, with some exceptions, is 4% or less.

Tá sé seo ar fad cloiste againn cheana féin. The Taoiseach has sung that song previously. It is very alarming that he is simply satisfied that the runaway levels of rent inflation have started to abate. It seems, in the Taoiseach's mind at least, that the mission has been accomplished. In Dublin average rent stands at €1,511. As it happens, I heard the interview to which the Taoiseach referred and the woman in question was very well informed, but let me tell him who is even better informed. The best informed people on this issue are the families and workers who are expected to find over €1,500 simply to cover their rent. By the way, they are many of the same people who are in insecure work, on low pay and up early and hard at it and simply cannot make it.

The Deputy's time is up.

All they get from the Government is a recitation of statistics and a deaf ear. That is not good enough. The Taoiseach should recognise that the Government's policy is failing, unless he believes it is acceptable for the average Dubliner to have to find in excess of €1,500 just to cover the rent. If that is his view, it is not one I share with him. I again put it to him that we need real rent certainty and affordability in Dublin and across the State.

I have not sung the song before because the statistics are quite different from the ones we have seen in recent years. The numbers show - the Deputy brought up the statistics first - that there was an increase of 1.1% in the last quarter of last year and that the annual-----

It is the annual increase that matters, as the Taoiseach knows.

It is still lower by 3 percentage points compared with the figure for 2016.

It is over 4%-----

It is lower than it was in 2016 by 3 percentage points.

It is 29% in Sligo.

Let us have order for the Taoiseach, please.

Stop misleading the Dáil.

The Deputy is misleading the Dáil.

The figures which Sinn Féin has brought up and therefore wishes to discuss show that in Dublin there was the lowest annual increase since 2013. Therefore, I certainly have not been able to sing this song previously because it is four or five years since it would have been possible to make that statement. Notwithstanding this, the Government is acting. We have already introduced the rent pressure zones by which most tenants are covered and which ensure that, except in some exceptional circumstances, rents increases are lower than 4%. In addition, other actions involve strengthening the enforcement powers of the Residential Tenancies Board and new legislation targeted for publication this term which will make it an offence to break the RPZ guidelines.

In addition to that, other actions also involve strengthening the enforcement powers of the Residential Tenancies Board and new legislation targeted for publication in this term will make it an offence to break the RPZ guidelines.