Vol. 1006 Wednesday, No. 2 28 April 2021 DÍOSPÓIREACHTAÍ PARLAIMINTE PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES DÁIL ÉIREANN TUAIRISC OIFIGIÚIL—Neamhcheartaithe (OFFICIAL REPORT—Unrevised) Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] � � � 158 28/04/2021U00300Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders’ Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 185 28/04/2021Y00300Resignation of Member � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 194 28/04/2021Y00500Ministerial Responsibilities � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 195 28/04/2021Y00800An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 195 28/04/2021CC00900Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 204 28/04/2021DD00800Proceeds of Crime (Investment in Disadvantaged Communities) (Amendment) Bill 2021: First Stage � � � � � 206 28/04/2021EE00800Planning and Development (Amendment) (Repeal of Part V Leasing) Bill 2021: First Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � 207 28/04/2021EE02600Orders for Second Stage on Government Bills: Motion� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 209 28/04/2021EE02900Planning and Development (Street Furniture Fees) Regulations 2021: Motion � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 209 28/04/2021EE03200Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No� 3) Regulations 2021: Motion � � � � � � � 210 28/04/2021EE03500Orders of Reference of the Committee on Key Issues affecting theTraveller Community: Motion� � � � � � � � 210 28/04/2021FF00100Island Fisheries (Heritage Licence) Bill 2017: Restoration to Order Paper � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 210 28/04/2021FF00350Autism Spectrum Disorder Bill 2017 [Seanad]: Restoration to Order Paper � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 211 28/04/2021FF00500Ceisteanna - Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 211 28/04/2021FF00600Cabinet Committees � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 211 28/04/2021GG01400Citizens’ Assembly � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 215 28/04/2021KK00550Taoiseach’s Meetings and Engagements � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 222 28/04/2021LL01900Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Order for Second Stage � � � 227 28/04/2021LL02300Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � 227 28/04/2021TT01400Planning and Development, Heritage and Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2021: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � 247 28/04/2021VV00150Criminal Justice (Amendment Bill) 2021: Order for Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 247 28/04/2021VV00500Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 248 28/04/2021LLL00300Criminal Justice (Amendment Bill) 2021: Referral to Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 281 Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) � � � � � � � 281 Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 295 28/04/2021SSS00200Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 295 28/04/2021SSS00250Coláistí Samhraidh � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 295 28/04/2021SSS00950Arts Funding � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 296 28/04/2021TTT01100Tourism Policy� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 298 28/04/2021UUU00500Tourism Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 301 28/04/2021UUU01300Covid-19 Pandemic Supports � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 303 28/04/2021VVV00500Tourism Industry � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 304 28/04/2021WWW00300Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 307 28/04/2021XXX00200Comhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 309 28/04/2021XXX01000Tourism Project Funding � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 311 28/04/2021YYY00600Covid-19 Pandemic � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 313 28/04/2021ZZZ00600Tourism Project Funding � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 316 28/04/2021AAAA00400Arts Funding � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 318 28/04/2021AAAA01000Tourism Promotion� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 319 28/04/2021BBBB00400Estimates for Public Services 2021: Message from Select Committee � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 320 DÁIL ÉIREANN Dé Céadaoin, 28 Aibreán 2021 Wednesday, 28 April 2021 Chuaigh an Leas-Cheann Comhairle i gceannas ar 10 a�m� Paidir. Prayer. 28/04/2021A00100Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021: Sec- ond Stage [Private Members] 28/04/2021A00200Deputy Eoin Ó Broin: I move: “That the Bill be now read a Second Time�” Deputies will know that last year, during the second lockdown, many universities moved to remote learning and, as a consequence, students who had prepaid for student accommoda- tion or were in student accommodation in or near campus had to vacate their licences early� As students do not have the same protections under the Residential Tenancies Act as other rent- ers when it comes to exiting licence agreements early, many students and their families were significantly out of pocket. There is a widespread practice of students being required to pay rent for three, six and in some cases the full nine months in advance of taking up their student accommodation� That meant thousands of families across the State lost substantial sums of money because there was no requirement for student landlords to repay those moneys� Many of these families had been hit very hard by Covid� Some were on the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, or the wage subsidy scheme and were, therefore, experiencing hardship. The loss of €3,000, €6,000 or €9,000 was a great financial blow for the families in question� If these had been standard private rented tenancies, the tenants could have given a 28-day notice. They would have forgone the first four weeks’ rent but they would have been refunded any rent paid beyond that period� At the time, the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, rightly complained students were not be- ing given fair play� The USI contacted both the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage and Opposition housing spokespersons urging us to change the law to give students the protections they so rightly deserve� I am aware the Minister met the USI and he has always engaged constructively with it on these and related matters� I and other Opposition politicians did likewise� Those engagements on the Opposition side led to the Bill before us today� It is a USI Bill; it was designed and led by the USI� The Bill has the support of 56 Opposition Depu- ties who have co-signed it� I believe others who have not signed it will also support it� 159 Dáil Éireann The Office of Parliamentary Legal Advisers provided considerable assistance on the Bill and we thank OPLA staff for their work on it. The Bill does three very simple things, two of which are Covid-19 related protections and one is a permanent change to the protections for students� First, if a student in student accommodation is forced to leave that accommodation early because of future Covid-19 restrictions, he or she would be able, as all other tenants are, to give a 28-day notice and get refunded for any additional rent paid in advance beyond that notice period� Likewise, if a student is not able to take up pre-booked accommodation due to Covid-19 restrictions, he or she will be able to issue a 28-day notice to exit that licence early and be fully refunded for any additional rent paid in advance beyond the notice period� These are fair and eminently sensible changes� Landlords would
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