Rent pressure zone legislation
Deputy Róisín Shortall sought assurance that rent pressure zone measures would be advanced quickly and asked about extending them to section 50 student accommodation. The Minister said the rental reforms were the first tranche of a wider programme and should not be controversial, but did not commit to the amendment.
I would like to return to the issue raised earlier on measures considered by Cabinet today with regard to tenancies and rent pressure zones. Given that those measures were essentially debated in this House under a Bill from the Social Democrats last January and that there was cross-party support for the measures, I take it there will not be any delay in bringing forward this legislation and getting it through the Houses. Will the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, give a commitment that this will happen in advance of the summer recess?
Second, I wish to raise the issue in respect of section 50 student accommodation. The Minister says that is being examined currently.
Comment on this
It relates to that legislation. Is the Minister saying that if there is an issue with extending rent pressure zones to section 50 accommodation he will support an amendment to include section 50 student accommodation under rent pressure zones?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for the question. The work we are doing currently on to rent sector and people who are renting is something I flagged last autumn in terms of a change management programme to make our rental market more mature. This is the first tranche of legislation but there is a second tranche to follow this year that will update on the first tranche of work.
Similar legislation and ideas were put to the House earlier this year. There should not be any controversy in bringing these measures forward. They are positive for tenants and landlords, the vast majority of whom are good landlords and do a good job for their tenants. The pace at which it proceeds though the House is not in my hands but in the hand of the Business Committee and the Oireachtas. I hope we can proceed with it as quickly as possible. If we can get it enacted before the summer I believe it would be important. Again, it depends on the House.
I responded to Deputy Howlin's question on student accommodation earlier. I mentioned that we are in the middle of an engagement on those issues currently. On the basis of what comes back from that engagement we will then proceed to an amendment if that is necessary, but it is not clear yet whether it is.
Comment on this
Will the Minister support an amendment?