FF ‘hiding and snuggling behind comfort blanket of confidence and supply deal’

Fianna Fáil has been accused of hiding and snuggling behind the comfort blanket of its confidence and supply arrangement with Fine Gael.

Labour housing spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan made the allegation as she also accused the party of political gamesmanship during a debate on legislation to index-link rent increases for tenants.

Ms O’Sullivan claimed Fianna Fáil “just fires accusations at the Opposition and issues veiled threats at times to the Minister”.

The Limerick TD said the party “hides and snuggles behind the comfort blanket of the confidence and supply arrangement in order that it does not have to do anything”.

She said “Fianna Fáil TDs tell the Government that if it does not do such and such, they are the lads who have all the power and can pull the plug at any time. That is supreme political gamesmanship.”

Ms O’Sullivan was speaking as she expressed support for Sinn Féin’s Secure Rent and Tenancies Bill, which she described as focused and urgently needed.

The legislation is designed to protect tenants from spiralling rents, short-term leases and summary evictions if their homes are being sold.

Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin said his party introduced the Bill “to put pressure on the Minister and his colleagues in Government to include these three modest measures in the rental strategy that is being finalised”.

Mr Ó Broin pointed to research showing the average rent for a one-room home in Dublin had increased by 24 per cent or an extra €2,940 a year, while a two-bedroom home was costing an extra €3,204 annually.

Fine Gael has rejected the legislation on the grounds that it pre-empts its rental strategy, due to be published on December 12th. Minister for Housing Simon Coveney said the strategy would consider measures to provide greater rental predictability for landlords and tenants and to improve security of tenure for tenants.

Mr Coveney said the Opposition seemed to suggest Fine Gael was not taking the housing crisis seriously and this was “absolute rubbish”. He said “the notion that Sinn Féin has a monopoly on compassion for people who are struggling in the housing market has no basis”.

Fianna Fáil also rejected the Bill on the basis that the Minister would introduce new rent certainty measures in its strategy. Housing spokesman Barry Cowen told Ms O’Sullivan to “change the record” following her criticism and accused Sinn Féin of seeking “political gain for the party without a care for anyone else”.

Mr Cowen said they had to be aware of the impact on landlords as well. “They are not all big vultures or corporate entities. Some of them are accidental landlords. Some are ordinary people who find themselves in the position of being landlords. They need to be considered.”