I want to clarify a few things. I named every Senator who spoke and responded to them.

Did I not name Senator Keogan?

I apologise.

It was not intentional if I did not respond to Senator Keogan. I have written down the names of everyone who contributed so, if I omitted the Senator, I did so in error. I tried to get back to every single person so I did not pick out everyone individually. I agreed with some Senators and not others. The point I made to Senator Boyhan was that he was trying to categorise me when he asked how politicians are landlords. I responded to the Senator because I will not tolerate that. I am very clear about that. I know my…

I will answer.

I absolutely do. There will be a multimedia campaign embarked upon by the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB. It is obviously in all our interests that tenants can understand the process, particularly the most vulnerable who have challenges with regard to reading and writing and have had difficulty understanding forms in the past. This form will be simple and help will be available. The RTB will also point to information in that regard.

I hear the concerns. As I said earlier, there is no issue around going through the amendments. Looking down the list there are amendments we went through in absolute detail that have huge merit in terms of receivership and indefinite duration that we are absolutely prepared to look at in the autumn. There is no doubt on that, but I ask Senators to bear in mind the urgency attached to this legislation and the 1 August date. We really need to get these protections in quickly.

I will respond at the-----

On the effect of amendment No. 2, the RTB has to have a mechanism and a process to identify people who are in rent arrears and it has to be brought to its attention. That is the key point. As I said, and to be very clear, if someone is in rent arrears, they are suffering because of the Covid-19 pandemic and their income is reduced they can make this case, self-declare and the RTB will adjudicate on it. We will put together a multimedia campaign to ensure that everyone is informed, that the forms will be written in …

I was very clear that we will set out in guidance the social welfare code that will be accepted. Let us not muddy the waters. If people are suffering rent arrears they can make a declaration that will be adjudicated impartially in plain English. It is a very simple, straightforward process. Public information will be put out on it.

That is the job of the RTB.

I want to make it very clear that I am in no way frustrated. My concern relates to the confusion that has been put out there for tenants. These are very vulnerable people who we may be scaring into thinking that they are facing prosecution. Can we not just remember the core point here regarding tenants' rights, the RTB, seeking advice, making a declaration and the information and assistance available. It is up to the RTB to decide if it is going to prosecute someone. There has to be a level of penalty for someone w…

I thank the Senator and note the concerns she has raised. The key question at the moment concerns linking Part 5 protections to the emergency and the additional protections that are afforded. We must strike a fine balance to introduce a measure that will be constitutional and will work. The Department has assessed this in detail and it is our considered view that as we move through the stages of reopening the economy, protections must be linked to the paying of rent in the normal manner. If a tenant is under pressu…

I apologise if there has been any misunderstanding but if one does not avail of the declaration, one can still continue to accrue rights under Part 4. I want to be very clear on that. Those who seek the declaration will be unable to accrue additional rights if they are not meeting their obligations. That is a different section. We have to finely balance rights with regard to those who avail of the declaration. The case of those who do not avail of a declaration is totally different. They will continue to accrue rig…

I thank Senators Bacik and Higgins. We accept this is an issue and it is one that I hope will be addressed in the autumn. There is an urgency attached to it and we will also explore the issue in the joint committee. It is something we intend to action. To be fair, the point has been well made.

I thank Senator Higgins and other Senators for their responses. This is a key issue in terms of public health considerations whereby one has to weigh and balance them against the right to have a transparent public process. I fully appreciate that that is a major concern. However, public hearings are not suspended, they are just not mandatory. In terms of public health, the RTB will have to make a determination based on how many tribunals are going on per day or what the social distancing requirements are at any giv…

Yes, we are happy to examine that.

I thank Senator Ruane for her contribution. We are trying to get what is achievable and constitutional, which can be very difficult, while trying to protect the most vulnerable. We have no idea for sure for how long Covid-19 will be here and we cannot rely on a blanket ban on evictions being sustainable in the long term. We must be very clear and I quoted figures earlier regarding balancing the rights of tenants and landlords, as 6,500 residential landlords left the market since 2016 and 86% of those landlords have…

These are issues we can tease out in the Oireachtas joint committee on housing.

I thank the Senator for tabling her views. The board has to be independent. We are very clear on this. It must be neutral. Therefore, by default, it cannot intervene. A tenant can, under section 76, bring forward a determination to get involved in a resolution process. We are providing that the RTB must write to the tenant to get involved in the process when issues arise. We are very clear on the matter. Under section 76 the pathway is there for tenants to bring forward resolutions that may require determinations. …