Dáil Éireann Orderof Business | Renters Bill

Deputy Bacik:

I thank the Taoiseach for his kind and gracious words and all of those who gave me such a warm welcome today on my first day in big school, as it feels. I am very grateful and honoured to have been elected last week to represent my home constituency of Dublin Bay South. I am just over the moon to be here. I thank all of those who supported me. I thank my amazing campaign team, my parliamentary Labour Party colleagues, my director of elections, Deputy Duncan Smith, and my great campaign manager, Dermot Ryan. I also thank Chloe Manahan, Paul Daly and all my family. I thank everyone so much.

We campaigned on four key issues in the by-election. These were housing, childcare and eldercare, community facilities and climate justice. We heard a strong mood and appetite for change on these issues. I promised all of those to whom I spoke about housing, and whose stories I listened to about their experiences as renters facing insecurity of tenure, fears about rent hikes and evictions, that the first thing I would do, and the first issue I would raise in the Dáil if elected, would be protection for renters. Will the Taoiseach and the Government be willing to support the Bill I have prepared along with my colleague, Senator Rebecca Moynihan, which is before the Bills Office and would provide protection to renters, tenants and those living in rental accommodation against rent hikes and evictions and would provide for a better quality of life?

An Taoiseach Martin:

I again congratulate the Deputy on her election and I congratulate her campaign team. On these issues, the Government is very clearly focused and has already introduced groundbreaking legislation on climate justice and climate change, which I hope will get through the House this week. On housing, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has brought in very strong protection for renters. Last week, he introduced significant measures on limiting rent increases to inflation. This is a significant move given the position prior to this. The Minister deserves to be commended on this move in respect of restricting increases in rent and introducing legislation to protect renters. We will also focus on other issues in terms of childcare.