Residential Tenancies Bill 2020: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2020-10-23
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Sharon Keogan (IND), Industrial and Commercial Panel

The Minister is welcome to the House. I wish him well in his portfolio. He has taken on the role with gusto. I believe he will make changes to affordable and social housing and I have great confidence in him.
I will support the Bill and a number of the proposed amendments. While it gives certainty to those who are renting and bans evictions, my main concern is the ten-day grace period, which is simply not sufficient as we approach Christmas. Many families are very fearful as we face into the level 5 restrictions. Some will have the prospect of eviction hanging over their heads and will only have a ten-day grace period following the lifting of the restrictions as we approach Christmas. We could have done a little better on that. I am not sure if the Minister will accept any of the amendments but I will support a number of them.
The proposal to have the measures kick in again if the 5 km restriction on travel is reintroduced should be reviewed. I would welcome an extension of that provision to 20 km.
We have 3,400 children and 10,500 people living in homeless accommodation. This is an uncertain time for them. I ask the Minister to advise us on how he plans to deal with that issue. During the previous lockdown, homeless figures decreased. I am sure the Minister has a plan to deal with this issue and I would like to hear it.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-10-23