Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed)
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-19
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Chris Andrews (SF), Labour Panel

We need a commitment to invest in the RTB in light of what will happen in the coming months and years. Clearly, rents are going to go up. As I said yesterday, the Government is telling renters that it will reduce rents by allowing landlords to increase them. That is what Lorcan Sirr said, not me and not Sinn Féin. He is not a political representative. He is independent and evidence-based. That is really important to acknowledge. It is not Sinn Féin or the Opposition that has said this; an independent academic has said the Government is telling people it will reduce rents by allowing landlords to put up rents. That sums up this Bill. It is allowing one law for the wealthy, vulture funds, institutional investors and CEOs of Irish institutional property companies who have free access to these Houses. This is not my first time saying this. The Government has been taken hostage by the vulture funds and large investors. This Bill is another example of that. The Minister might comment on whether he will invest and increase funding for the RTB.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-19/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:39+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-19