Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2020-07-31
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Mary Fitzpatrick (FF), Nominated by the Taoiseach

On the issues raised, I sense the passion and real concern Senator Higgins has about these two issues. I am new to dealing with legislation. I have been dealing with people all my life. In the constituency in which I live, 77% of the population identify as non-Irish and there is a very high level of disability. Historically, we had very high levels of illiteracy also. The housing crisis is most acute in my constituency and every day I would help people who are struggling either with the threat of homelessness or are in homelessness. When I read this legislation, I identify a relevant person as being anybody whose income has been negatively impacted upon and who is struggling to pay rent. It would be welcome if the Minister of State could confirm that that is what the term "relevant person" means.
In terms of the issue of the declaration, my reading of the legislation is that it will be specifically defined by the RTB because it will be charged with the administration of this process but I heard the Minister of State say that the declaration can be a handwritten letter or an email. It is critical, however, that it identifies the person, identifies clearly and honestly their circumstances and then can be used to prevent that person from becoming homeless. It can be used by the State bodies to support that person to avoid a rent increase or eviction. That is my understanding of it. The only people who should be worried about being guilty of an offence are people whose incomes are not negatively impacted or may have increased but who are trying to claim these protections. I refer to people in receipt of public housing like Deputies refusing to pay their rent for four years. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would clarify those two points, but my understanding is that it will be in plain English and that the citizens information bureaux, the RTB and all of the wonderful local authority councillors who deal with tenants every day will be there to support tenants at risk of becoming homeless or of a rent increase.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:31+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-07-31