The programme for Government states the Government will introduce a new model of affordable rental accommodation to provide more housing solutions for those on low incomes. Despite his lofty rhetoric, the Taoiseach has dragged his heels on the cost rental model. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government now has a new pet project, which he calls "co-living", which he presents as a solution to the rental crisis. He goes so far as to tell people we should be all excited about this new co-living plan he has devised. Consider what is being developed. In Dún Laoghaire, for example, there are 208 studios, over 6,500 sq. m, on one floor. That means 42 people will share one kitchen, with rents in excess of €1,300 per month. That is not a solution and people should not be excited about it. It is a step on the road towards the tenements of the 21st century. The time of the Government would be better devoted to developing and rolling out affordable cost rental homes. The co-living concept has been-----

Time is up.

I will finish on this. The co-living concept has been described by Threshold as 21st-century bedsits with a glossy makeover. Will the Taoiseach heed its advice? Is he even listening to me?

Is the Deputy listening to me? The time is up.

With respect, I have been addressing the Taoiseach but he has been continuously in conversation with the Tánaiste during this period.

The time is up.

I know he has no interest in this issue but the people whom he is telling should be excited are very worried about this.

Will the Deputy adhere to the orders of the House? Will he resume his seat, please?

The rent is to be €1,300 for 42 people to share a kitchen. Is it not time to heed the advice of Threshold, abandon the plan and deliver on what the Government committed to, which is an affordable cost rental model?

I thank the Deputy for the question. Sinn Féin needs to pay closer attention to the housing market because the guidelines were actually announced and introduced a year and a half ago. They are not a response to the crisis in and of themselves. We are trying to build a future housing market that provides choices for every type of person in this country. It is not an attempt to bring in bedsits through the back door.

People need choice. It should not just be the privilege of a few; it should exist for everyone. That is what we are trying to do, especially for people from abroad who might be coming here for only six months, a year or two years. They would have a choice of accommodation types. Co-living has been welcomed and has been successful precisely in those cities whose rental markets we are trying to emulate, including those with models such as the cost rental model. It is a part of the choice. People should not rush to judgment based on one planning application.

Insofar as our plans for cost rental are concerned, they are being developed with the National Development Finance Agency, European Investment Bank and Dublin City Council, in particular, and also housing bodies and the Land Development Agency. We have sites earmarked and we hope development can get under way once we get the finance right. Once people have a cost rental arrangement and get the percentage deduction on their rent, it will apply for five, ten, 15 or 20 years. If we get the finances wrong on this, people could get hurt in the future. In everything we do in housing, we are trying to protect people from the mistakes that happened so they will have sustainable, secure and affordable housing.

I was listening to the Minister saying everything he is doing is to protect the tenant. He stated in Saturday's Irish Independent that he would act to protect tenancies of indefinite duration later this year.

He was quoted in the Irish Independent as saying, "Currently, a landlord can evict a tenant after six years without reason. That will change". He has been told that for a very long time. In fact, he could have changed it a fortnight ago but he refused to accept an amendment tabled in this House by Deputy Jan O'Sullivan to address that very issue and which would have changed the law. That was voted down by the Minister and Fianna Fáil. The Minister has now told landlords that he will change the law at some point in the future and, obviously, there will be time then for them to make whatever arrangements they can.

As the Taoiseach said in an earlier reply, the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill is on Report Stage in the Seanad later today. Will the Minister take the opportunity presented by that Bill, since he missed the opportunity in this House two weeks ago, to make that adjustment?

It is actually the same Bill. It has been Government policy for quite some time to move to tenancies of indefinite duration but it is nowhere near as simple as the very brief amendment the Labour Party tried to put forward.

Why not?

If we had accepted that amendment, it would have undone Part 4 of the 2004 Act, which currently gives the bulk of the protections to tenants when it comes to section 34 and notice to quit periods. By accepting the Labour Party amendment, we would have undone the existing protections.

When is the Government going to do it?

In the fourth quarter of this year, as I told the House when we were taking the Bill through, we will come with the second rent Bill, which will deal with tenancies of indefinite duration, the area around deposits and tenants who find themselves in a property that has gone into receivership, or where the loan has been sold to another financial institution. We recognise there is more to do to protect tenants. Every one of the 38 sections of the current Bill protects tenants. However, we have to ensure there are landlords operating in the market as well. It is about finding that balance. As landlords leave the market, more people find themselves in housing insecurity. Doing the things we are doing in this rent Bill will allow us to protect tenants in so many ways, as the Taoiseach outlined, while also making sure we have a European, affordable rental sector, which we are all trying to build. However, it cannot be done in a year or two.