Pa Daly
Kerry · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in to deal with this issue when other colleagues were not available. She will be able to bring her experience of this area to this debate. I am slightly caught for time, so I will try to parse it a little bit. I wish to ask the Minister of State about the harmful content on social media platforms.”
“While we know violence against women is a crisis and femicide in Ireland is a crisis, it is overwhelmingly men who carry out these acts. These are men of all cultures, races and ethnicities. However, social media giants have a responsibility and are clearly not stepping up to the plate. They are not complying with their obligations.”
“The Digital Services Act was introduced. It was to ensure a safe, predictable and trusted online environment and to prioritise greater activity and online safety. There is the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 to protect children and the public from harmful and illegal content. There is a danger.”
“We are running over time but I will make one more point. If, as it provides in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, we are to protect children and adults from online conduct, how does it look as an example to younger people in particular when this content is still allowed to be there?”
“Somebody even said that they hope these comments are not going to be deleted to suit one's ideology, which they misspelt. That is the kind of narrative that is going on. They are mocking her beliefs and her. It is similar to what is being investigated by the police in Britain.”
“Bhíos ag caint le healaíontóir i gCiarraí níos luaithe um thráthnóna. Labhair sé liom mar gheall ar na mothúcháin a bhaineann le AI. Dúirt sé liom it could help to generate ideas, layouts and content more quickly, leaving more time to focus on strategy and working with clients.”
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“We are running over time but I will make one more point. If, as it provides in the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act, we are to protect children and adults from online conduct, how does it look as an example to younger people in particular when this content is still allowed to be there? That is the example that is being set for people who are starting off on their online journey.”
“Somebody even said that they hope these comments are not going to be deleted to suit one's ideology, which they misspelt. That is the kind of narrative that is going on. They are mocking her beliefs and her. It is similar to what is being investigated by the police in Britain. I ask the Government to take a stronger line with the platforms, or at least, contact them.”
“While we know violence against women is a crisis and femicide in Ireland is a crisis, it is overwhelmingly men who carry out these acts. These are men of all cultures, races and ethnicities. However, social media giants have a responsibility and are clearly not stepping up to the plate. They are not complying with their obligations. They are allowing comments. If they were said in Temple Bar on a Saturday night, the person would be arrested for at least a breach of the peace or threatening, abusive and insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace. Clearly, some of the comments that are being made - I do not want to list some of the comments - are mockery of a dead woman. It is allowed. It is online and in public. There seems to be no monitoring and regulation of these comments.”
“The Digital Services Act was introduced. It was to ensure a safe, predictable and trusted online environment and to prioritise greater activity and online safety. There is the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 to protect children and the public from harmful and illegal content. There is a danger. It is an offence if something can harm the physical, mental or moral development of children or if it is an incitement to hatred. In this State, we have a lot of the very large online platforms operating here. I wish to express my sympathy to the family of the woman who was killed in Killarney. On her social media platform, on her Instagram account, there are over 2,000 comments. They are still available if you open your Instagram app this morning. Many of the comments are mocking the deceased woman.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in to deal with this issue when other colleagues were not available. She will be able to bring her experience of this area to this debate. I am slightly caught for time, so I will try to parse it a little bit. I wish to ask the Minister of State about the harmful content on social media platforms. I read reports in the newspapers this morning, for example, about the death of Ann Widdecombe. British police are investigating some comments that have been made - it has been reported already - online celebrating her death. They were saying that it was good news and that they hoped it was extremely painful. That has already been widely reported. Social media has many very positive aspects, such as giving people a voice and allowing people to communicate, including people of all ages.”
“We believe that a simple principle should apply: art is the product of the labour of artists, informed by their own unique human experience, creativity and skill, and we need the protections in place.”
“He accepted that many artists were facing an existential threat, that their creativity was under attack and that copyrighted work was being harvested by the AI companies. I know the Minister of State will work on this and that the Government is making promises but this is the difference between making a living and having to leave the profession altogether unless the rights they have built up and the creativity they have brought up is protected. Many artists are living month to month, week to week. They are struggling to survive and now they are being asked to directly compete against machines that are trained on their own work. That is why we are demanding action.”
“Bhíos ag caint le healaíontóir i gCiarraí níos luaithe um thráthnóna. Labhair sé liom mar gheall ar na mothúcháin a bhaineann le AI. Dúirt sé liom it could help to generate ideas, layouts and content more quickly, leaving more time to focus on strategy and working with clients. He uses it to explore new styles and creative marketing material and reach new audiences while continuing to produce original handcrafted work. Therefore, there is great benefit to it and it is being used by a lot of artists, particularly ones whom I know in Kerry, to take away some of the repetitive and time-consuming parts that take up so much time and to allow them to use their expertise or creativity. I thank Maurice Murphy down in Reennanallagane in Glenbeigh for his input.”
“In the aftermath of the violent death of Jamey Carney in Kerry last week, and while I wish to express my sympathy to her family, especially to her daughter, and compliment the community in Killarney that rallied around her and the services there too, we have to acknowledge that violence against women is a crisis and mostly perpetuated by men from all races, cultures and ethnicities and all religions and none. I saw this when I worked in the courts for many years. However, I was disgusted last week to see practically unregulated and unmonitored social media content and abuse directed towards her, even on her own social media platforms.”
“I see the statement and the circular which has been issued by the Department of housing that the local authorities will have more responsibility and they will now be building housing but I have to say the Government’s policy of increasing the number of units throughout the State is not going to make any difference. From what I have seen on the ground, there seems to be very little tie-in between the HSE capital projects and the local authorities. There should be a focus on more accommodation in town centres, close to services to help the parents of the adults with intellectual disabilities.”
“Every parent worries about their children. That does not stop when they get to 18 years of age. I know many people have spoken about meeting the Before We Die campaigners and parents, and how inspiring they are. While I have great respect for the people I have met, I would not swap with them because they have come across to me as exhausted and depressed. When the Áras na Féile respite centre in north Kerry closed, I was in a room where the parents present were almost beaten by the difficulty caused by the one bit of respite they had being removed from them. Across the county of Kerry, we have a centre in Cahersiveen which is only open 34 weekends in the year. Those facilities are there but the funding is not available to increase to weekly services or to even increase the number of weekends that facility is open.”
“As regards our health system, there are challenges North and South with waiting lists, but reunification paves the way for a universal, free at the point of delivery healthcare system for the whole island. We should embrace that positivity. I know some unionists feel they are better off the way they are, but we want an inclusive country, embracing their identities and traditions, recognising the right of all the people to identify themselves and be accepted as British and as Irish. There will be referenda. The Irish Government must act on the Good Friday Agreement, plan for unity and demonstrate its commitment to engaging with citizens in developing the best future for the people of the island of Ireland.”
“Imagine combining shared expertise in transport and combining access to airports and trains, with single ticketing schemes and a single purpose. We might pause to listen to hear some of the voices of the past to help us along that journey. There is absolutely no economic advantage for a small nation in having two separate tax regimes, two separate legal systems, competing economic development programmes and two separate tourist organisations. We have Departments that are already working together. We must advance on that, push forward and have a plan that we can move together. As Edward Carson said, "no one shall have privileges over us", so we should work together ourselves on this island. North-South trade is currently thriving and with access to the largest market in the world, a unified island will prosper.”
“This is about more than legislation, politics or budgets. It is about being confident in ourselves. It is about féin-mhuinín. It is not about seeing how other nations perceive us but looking to the future as an island and deciding what is best for us as a collective. The pandemic and Brexit showed us the illogicality of partition. A united Ireland offers huge potential towards energy independence and environmental advancement. Imagine being able to share the wind turbine construction capabilities of Belfast Port. Imagine being able to divert unused wind energy across the island. Reunification offers an opportunity to take the measures that we need to ensure a sustainable future and to take the bold directions necessary to address the ecological catastrophe, which is currently way more challenging as two states.”
“I move amendment No. 2: In page 8, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(4) The Minister shall, not later than 12 months following commencement, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report reviewing daa’s compliance with the directions of the Minister.”. This amendment seeks that the Minister should within 12 months following commencement, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report reviewing DAA's compliance with the directions of the Minister because, as we all know, there is a lack of trust in the north County Dublin area in what the DAA has done.”
“This task force should be specifically focused on growing passenger numbers in Shannon, Cork and Knock, supporting new international routes, such as a transatlantic route out of Cork, which would incentivise airlines to base aircraft outside Dublin and improve transport links to regional airports. If we are serious about balanced regional development, we cannot simply talk about it but we have to plan, invest and deliver it.”
“Funding, of course, remains piecemeal and is insufficient. Route development is limited, infrastructure investment is slow and there is no overarching plan tying it all together, which is a missed opportunity. We propose a new national aviation policy be delivered within six months, one that reflects the realities of modern aviation and sets out a clear path for the future with clear targets for regional airport growth, annual reporting to ensure accountability and a regional aviation impact assessment, so that Dublin's expansion does not come at the expense of the rest of the country. Although the Government has the regional airports programme, it is essential regional airports are not treated as an afterthought but they should be viewed as a key priority.”
“How can we have any confidence in the Government's approach, particularly to the regional airports, with a policy framework that is more than ten years out of date? When we are lifting the passenger cap, the Government must place equal energy, ambition and investment into developing the regional airports because 80% of passengers are processed through Dublin. Cork gets a fraction, even though its numbers have increased by 63% over the past ten years. Shannon, Knock, Kerry and Donegal are all far below their potential and that is as a result of Government inaction. Regional airports are not only transport hubs. They support tourism, create jobs and provide a vital link to our emigrant communities, for example, in London, Manchester, Coventry and Leeds. Communities are also connected to Europe and beyond.”
“We must also engage with the fact that local communities have felt ignored, particularly in north County Dublin and Meath, and overlooked for years. Proper community consultation on, for example, night flights does not mean preventing progress. It can enhance proposals and plans. This Bill represents an opportunity to oblige the Minister, and the DAA most importantly, to do a better job. The amendments that we have put forward aim to tackle these issues. There has been neglect of our national aviation policy. There is no doubt about it. A year later, we are still operating without a policy. Despite parliamentary questions, we still have not obtained clarity from the Government as to when this long-promised update will be delivered.”
“Last year, there were 36 million passengers through Dublin Airport when, as everyone knows, the cap was at 32 million. A 4 million difference is not a rounding error. There is something going wrong. The passenger cap is not really realistic any more but we do not want to merely rubber-stamp the decision that is being taken by the Government. With the cap, we must ensure that there is essential progress but this Bill exposes, if nothing else, the absence of any long-term coherent aviation strategy from the Government. As in Cork Airport, we must plan not only for ten years ahead, but 20 years, 30 years and 40 years and increase capacity in our regional airports, because they are a key to unlocking Ireland's potential. From Kerry to Cork, Shannon, Knock, Waterford, Donegal, Belfast, Derry and beyond, there is unlocked potential.”
“While there is great work being carried out at Cork Airport, I am not sure that the long-term plan has been looked at properly by the Government to ensure that there is Luas connectivity, maybe down to Wilton, as well as easy fixes such as a bus lane up to the airport and a widening of the existing road. That needs to be looked at with some haste. Our connectivity is not optional and our economy, our tourism sector, our diaspora and our ability to attract investment all depend on it. It is the linchpin for hundreds of thousands of jobs and there could be no question that we need a proper aviation strategy. Dublin Airport is fundamental to that, but the passenger cap has been outgrown and is really out of step with reality.”
“I thank Deputy Ahern for tabling this amendment. It makes sense that the Bill should include a definition of "international connectivity" to ensure that the Minister does not have free rein to cite international connectivity as a reason to get rid of the passenger cap and that there are some guardrails for citing this reason. Section 25 sets out the grounds on which the Minister can decide to revoke a passenger capacity condition, and this amendment would give a definition for one of the grounds on which the Minister can revoke it, since there is currently no definition of "international connectivity". We support the amendment. Ireland is an island nation. We had a meeting in Cork Airport on Friday morning.”
“The legislation is being rushed through, however, so the reality is that this is unlikely to happen. It is not good enough. Communities are being sidelined, and public consultation and democratic accountability, it seems, have not been used and are not going to happen.”
“As we mentioned earlier, and as was discussed, we use 80% imported fuels. We also have an amendment to require annual reporting to the Oireachtas. Without this, the infrastructure creates its own momentum. We see that it will take five years to build this facility and that it will be in operation for ten years, at least, so that is 15 years in total, so there is a very big danger of lock-in. This Bill, as we said previously, is being rushed through without proper scrutiny, and this is unacceptable. Our amendments require independent assessment that this approach is necessary, proportionate and the best available option, and that there be an ongoing biannual review. Crucially, a future assessment of alternatives, including renewables, interconnections, storage and demand-side measures, should also be included in the Bill.”
“If this infrastructure is State-led, publicly owned and operated in the public interest, that could go some way to reducing energy bills. Otherwise, it is hard to guarantee it. Without the guarantee of this being State-led, it could - and we have seen it in the previous amendments - risk opening the door to commercial LNG development and private profit. Energy security is not a commercial venture. Energy security, keeping the lights on, is a fundamental responsibility of the State. While this reserve has been justified as an emergency measure, it is important, as we have seen in the last amendment, that any strategic gas reserve should be for emergency use only. It should also not become permanent by default, and this is why we proposed the ten-year limit. The reserve must not be used to drive further fossil fuel lock-in.”
“We have had other legislation giving more power to the regulator to hold energy companies to account, for example. There should also be an obligation on the Minister to mitigate the costs because energy security cannot come at the expense of affordability, given how tardy the Government has been with offshore and renewable energy over many years. The Government is supposed to be a safety net for people and not the other way around. This infrastructure, if it is strategic, must be State-led. Unfortunately, this State has less investment in offshore wind in our own waters than the French state and the Norwegian state. There should be more public involvement to move towards energy affordability, because private companies are obviously going to have to make increased profits year after year.”
“In other words, ordinary people will foot the bill, or it is the intention that they will foot the bill, for the Government’s failure to guarantee our energy security over many years. Families across the State are already dealing with some of the highest energy prices in Europe. I do not need to go into this topic again today. Ordinary people paying their bills, ordinary householders, did not design this broken system. They should not, therefore, be forced to pay for a solution and a problem that the Government has created. The amendments that we brought forward, and the subsequent amendments, are clear that the Government must guarantee there is no socialisation of costs into the bills of households or SMEs. There should be a requirement for the regulator to assess the full cost of the impact on households.”
“After the last general election, there was almost an unseemly rush to be out to congratulate the Government by some people for its change of mind in relation to fracked gas. It comes down to the basic issue of fairness and a just transition. We have heard about the issues in respect of destroying communities in the United States. Affordability of energy is also fundamental and is something that should be prioritised. Unfortunately, however, it has often been treated as an afterthought by this Government and previous Governments. When the strategic gas reserve was first announced, it was said that ongoing operational costs would be paid for through the introduction of a new levy or by being integrated into an existing one.”
“That is why we have brought forward our comprehensive set of amendments, not to obstruct but to help and to protect households, the public interest and our energy future. We will get to some of them later when we are talking about the potential increase to household bills.”
“That was never a pathway to energy security but we are still vulnerable because of the failure to invest over the years in offshore wind, in renewables and in our energy future. As we move towards a united Ireland, we need to have an energy system that is destined to be used by the whole of the island. Rather than fixing these structural failures, this Bill is doubling down, locking us further into fossil fuel dependence. It would never have been suggested a number of years ago that we would have to bring in fracked gas, on which there was a ban, but in the immediate aftermath of the last election, it was trumpeted that the ban on fracked gas had been removed by this Government.”
“Critically, we want a requirement for a decommissioning plan, also within 12 months, because you cannot build infrastructure such as this without planning an off-ramp or out-clause at the end of it. If it is truly an emergency measure, it should not become an permanent feature. On a broader level, energy security is a fundamental responsibility of Government - keeping the lights on - and this Government has failed in that regard. Instead of delivering a secure, independent, all-island affordable and sustainable energy system, what we have is the first part of a Bill, which is rushed and flawed, repeating the exact same mistakes that have got us here in the first place, with ordinary people asked to pay the price and fork out. As the Minister himself said, we are exposed to geopolitical conflict. We import 80% of our energy.”
“Most of the delays can be attributed to the lack of staffing in those organisations. This is all important. In the amendments about temporary use, which Deputy Cronin had moved, it is important that it actually be temporary use. The Government itself has said that it will probably take five years to create it and then it will be in existence for approximately ten years after that. Is that temporary then? Certainly, it is more medium to long term than a short-term solution to a potential problem that has been outlined. We have asked for a definition of temporary, whereby it should not become permanent by default, with a ten-year limit on the operation, regular reviews every three years and a clear expiry clause unless it is renewed by the Oireachtas.”
“Arising out of what the Minister said, if he does not have a problem with it being temporary or emergency, he should accept the amendments. The Minister mentioned renewable energy and the progress that, he says, has been made with offshore wind. However, in our view and in the view of some Government people also, the Government and previous Governments have been sitting on their hands in relation to offshore wind. We have untapped potential of 540 GW and by 2030, we will find it difficult to match 5 GW. The Minister also mentioned that he has no control over the planning process but, in fact, while he might not be making the decisions, he would have had the power to appoint more High Court judges and appoint more staff to an coimisiún, and previously to An Bord Pleanála, but that was not done.”
“It should not be for day-to-day use. It is for emergency use, as outlined when it was proposed initially, and the Bill must not be used to construct infrastructure for business-as-usual operations.”
“As I said, this is a simple, but critical amendment. It is because "emergency use only" must and should be clearly defined in law and a strategic gas reserve such as the one proposed should be a measure of last resort and a limited, emergency tool rather than a permanent fossil fuel lock-in. Therefore, we hope that this amendment will put clear legal boundaries on what the reserve is, as defined by the EU's N-1 standard. That matters because, without these definitions, the emergency reserve risks becoming business-as-usual gas infrastructure. Ireland is already reliant on fossil fuels for 81% of its energy. This Bill cannot deepen that dependency. The amendment proposes that the reserve be a backstop and not a crutch. It cannot be used to address localised network constraints or routine increases in gas demand.”
“I move amendment No. 2: In page 7, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “ “emergency use only” has the meaning as defined by the N-1 infrastructure standard defined by EU Regulation 2017/1938 only. A Strategic Emergency Gas Reserve under this Act and all future Acts relating to its construction, operation, maintenance and decommissioning cannot be used for management of day-to-day energy demand;”. What we want to do is provide a definition of "emergency use only" and insist on it. This is a simple-----”
“We need a different approach to drive down costs and put the needs of citizens first. We will be opposing this Bill, and I urge the House to support our amendments that put fairness, accountability and the public good back at the centre of our energy policy.”
“We are also insisting on honesty about what is driving the energy crisis. Our amendments will require an independent assessment of the impact of data centres on energy demand and an analysis of whether this demand is driving the need for this reserve. We cannot have a situation where households pay more because the structural drivers of rising demand are left unaddressed. We believe this Bill is flawed, unfair, regressive and makes ordinary people shoulder the potential costs. It risks locking us into further fuel dependency and prioritises the wrong interest. Our amendments are about protection. They are to protect households from higher bills, protect the public interest and protect our energy future because the simple truth is that we cannot absorb any more costs.”
“Our other amendments will ensure that such a facility is temporary, with a defined lifespan of ten years, subject to regular review every three years, has a decommissioning plan and is accompanied by independent assessments of whether it is necessary or proportionate and the best available option. If this is an emergency measure, then it should not become a permanent fixture by default. There is concern across the board that this could happen. We are also seeking to reverse one of the elements of this Bill, which is the potential sidelining of community engagement. Our amendment will require meaningful public consultation, including access to information, impact assessments and public hearings, because communities in County Clare must not be cut out of decisions that affect them so profoundly.”
“There should be no backdoor for commercial LNG. The legislation does state that Gas Networks Ireland, GNI, may apply to the Minister for approval but it does not explicitly rule out infrastructure being led by a commercial entity. Our amendments, therefore, will insist that any reserve should be fully State-led. We are also moving to ensure that the reserve will only be used in genuine emergencies. We will define the reserve as for emergency use only, aligned with EU standards, and prevent its use for routine energy supply. Ongoing reporting will be required to ensure compliance. Without these protections, there is a real risk that the strategic reserve would become normalised and entrench gas dependency.”
“We have also requested this information be provided in advance of the remaining Stages, so that it can be properly scrutinised. I am waiting and hoping that it will be delivered before next Tuesday. We have proposed an amendment to delete the disapplication of the planning Acts. Nobody here is arguing that Ireland’s energy security should not be a priority. We have always said that it should be. Without those protections, however, we will never agree to rubberstamp any legislation to remove the safeguards without clarification and justification and robust safeguards. For example, this legislation fails to guarantee that the floating LNG facility will be explicitly and exclusively State-led. If it is truly strategic, then it should be State-led, publicly owned and delivered in the public interest.”
“Unprecedented changes such as these require oversight, debate and scrutiny but the Minister of State has refused to engage on this. There are dangers associated with this potentially introducing further delays which could exacerbate the risks to Ireland's energy security. If the public are being asked to consent, then the changes and impact must be made explicitly clear. We wrote to the Minister of State and his officials to provide explicit clarification on the principal differences between the standard planning process for a strategic infrastructure development and-or a standard planning application under the Planning and Development Act 2024 and the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the alternative planning process as outlined.”
“Ordinary people did not decide to leave Ireland dependent on imported gas, they did not fail to deliver on renewable energy and they certainly did not design an energy model that prioritises corporate demand over public need. Sinn Féin is clear there must be no increase in household energy bills to protect Ireland's energy security. Ordinary people must not foot the bill. We have introduced amendments to this effect and they go to the heart of fairness. We propose a legislative wording that prohibits the socialisation of costs across household and SME energy bills, which would mandate that the regulator carries out a full assessment of the impact on household bills and that the Minister would introduce measures to mitigate this. I will turn to the changes the Bill proposes to our planning process.”
“For years the Government has failed to properly invest in indigenous renewable energy, and it has admitted this, failing to build the resilience of sufficient system. Now ordinary people have to step up. Instead of fixing the structural issues, the Bill doubles down on the same approach locking us further into fossil fuel dependency and charging the public. It is a fundamental breach of trust and families and workers are already struggling under the weight of the highest energy bills in Europe. We have more people owing on their bills for longer. They should not have to bankroll a Government that has failed to plan and invest and failed to protect our energy future. The Government is supposed to act as a safety net for households and not the other way around.”
“This is not about guaranteeing Irish energy security but about managing the failure of the Government to invest properly in offshore wind and to make the necessary progress to ensuring energy independence and energy security. Despite being warned of the dangers of this for years, Ireland continues to rely on imports for approximately 80% of energy requirements, making us the fourth most fossil fuel import-dependent economy in the EU. We import nearly all of our oil and gas and over 80% of natural gas. In addition, under Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Ireland relies on fossil fuels to generate 81% of our energy requirements. This set-up was never going to deliver energy security. The risks were well flagged and vulnerabilities were well known, yet Fianna Fáil and fine Gael did not make any progression.”
“Energy security is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of any Government. It is the promise we will be able to keep the lights on and keep the country's energy system powered. In this increasingly volatile world, we are trying to meet our energy needs but the Government has utterly failed. What we are presented with is a rushed and flawed solution that is in danger of shifting the financial burden for the Government's failures onto ordinary households. The Government is rushing through the legislation without time for proper democratic oversight or scrutiny. The deadline for Committee Stage amendments was yesterday before Second Stage had been read.”
“There was practically zero emergency accommodation in 2011 but there are now huge amounts, catering for approximately 14,000 or 15,000 people. Since the town councils were abolished, there has been a concentration of emergency accommodation in Tralee, which is creating an imbalance. Everywhere that the Government has tried to address housing it has made a hames of it, for people starting off in life and those at the end of their days in nursing homes.”
“Unfortunately, I have not heard the Minister say anything about what needs to be done. Does the Government have any plans to cut rents? Has it plans to ban increases or protect the renters who are faced with big rent increases? The Minister has not mentioned anything about students. They are going to have to pay the market rent from September. That is another tax on their education. We all know that Munster Technological University, MTU, in Tralee and other colleges around the country do not have the power to borrow and are not building their own accommodation, which could be more affordable. The Minister mentioned the affordable homes scheme but there are practically no affordable homes in Kerry. It is ridiculous to talk about the affordable homes scheme in Kerry because there are none.”
“The vast majority of renters in the private sector will be swept into this market reset. The problem is that people in County Kerry are on waiting lists. They are waiting for supply for ten, 12 and sometimes 14 years. The town councils still have not been restored and the guaranteed increase in supply is not there. People are waiting and rents are increasing because supply is so low.”
“There might have been the highest number built in the history of the State, as the Minister said, but it happened at a time when the population was way higher than it was in the 1960s and 1950s. The Minister said the answer is to increase supply but, unfortunately, what we have seen is an awful lot of extra houses in Adamstown and on the quays in Dublin. The supply in County Kerry is way behind. The result is that renters in Kerry have seen increases in the region of €3,000 annually, which is a 26% jump. It is a body blow for people whose rents are increasing when, unfortunately, their wages are not increasing by the same amount to match those increases. If current tenancy trends continue, the average tenancy will be three and a half years, with 25% of tenancies being new each year.”