Sinn Féin playing ‘silly buggers’ with rent certainty motion

Fianna Fáil TD Barry Cowen has criticised Sinn Féin for engaging in "silly buggers old politics" by tabling a motion to introduce rent certainty.

The Dáil will debate a Sinn Féin private member’s motion calling for the Government to link rent increases to the Consumer Price Index.

Mr Cowen said the Oireachtas committee on housing is to report on Friday and the Sinn Féin proposal is an attempt at undermining that work.

He said: “We have an all-party committee that has met for the past six weeks. It was set up by the Dáil before the Government was formed with a view to make recommendations on an all-party basis.

“It is due to report on Friday. Sinn Féin has played a leading role in the committee and we are very disappointed his [TD Eoin O’Broin’s] party saw fit to gazump that or undermine that process with this Bill.”

Fianna Fail and the Government will vote against the Sinn Féin Bill and will await the final recommendations of the Oireachtas committee report.

Minister for Housing Simon Coveney contacted Sinn Féin's O'Broin to request his party avoid a vote on this issue.

The report is understood to outline a number of options in the area of rent control including linking increases to the CPI.

Mr Cowen said linking rent to CPI as it stands would lead to increases in rent for tenants.

In response Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said: “The Government has made no commitment on rent certainty and even if the Housing committee makes such a recommendation it will take at least six months for it to be implemented. That’s not good enough.

“People are being made homeless every day. There are people who will be homeless by the next time we have Leaders’ Questions, which is tomorrow. The Government needs to stop stalling on this issue, and act today by voting in favour of the Sinn Féin Bill this evening.”

The Dáil will debate this motion on Tuesday evening.