Victor Boyhan warns students lack protections in rental bill

First, I'd like to welcome the Minister. I don't think I've had the opportunity since you became Minister to welcome you and to wish you well. I have been on two terms of the housing committee, the Joint OXIS Housing Committee, you know, rebuilding Ireland, housing for all. We've just talked it out, you know, and I know there are challenges and there are difficulties. I'm not going to be a hurl around the ditch and a hurl abuse and say everyone is failing because they're not. There are so many facets to the whole housing issue, but I genuinely wish you well in it. Before I move on to the substantive issue I want to just talk about, you might just before you leave here confirm that you have actually devolved functions to your ministers for state. You have a big task, a big challenge, but it's about collaboration in policy, but it's also about collaboration in your department. And I think it's important you have a formidable team of ministers for state around you and you might just confirm that their actual devolved functions have been signed off and they are fully aware of what is expected of them in terms of shoulders to the wheel in implementing government policy. Because I think that's really important. I want to just pick up on my colleague, Senator McCartney, in terms of the information deficit. There needs to be an information strategy now, Minister, within the next week or two, how we communicate this message. Because there's so many mixed messages, people have different agendas, there's a lot of misinformation out there. And I think we need really you, the key driver, in terms of your credibility. This is on your head a lot of this and I appreciate that and that's not an easy thing to say. So I think it's instrumental that you meet with your communication strategy within the department within days and get a really clear line of messages out in relation to that. Minister, I just want to touch on one issue. And generally I'm supportive of many aspects of this. We could argue about it being emergency legislation. We could argue what we were doing for the last few weeks, not going down that road. But I just want to raise the issue here today in relation to students and the media coverage of what you said in relation to students. And you can correct me if I am wrong. But students in the private rental accommodation will not have any additional protections under this legislation. Under this in relation to new rental market rules. That's simple. That's factual. And that's been confirmed. Tenancies after March 2026 will be subject to a six-year tenancy agreement. And landlords will be allowed to reset the rents on market rates after six years. That is correct. That's factually correct too. Concerns have been raised in relation to students who rent for a limited period of time. And you know why there's a limited period of time for students in terms of renting. They just can't afford to take the long-term rental commitments for the academic year. So it's tied into the academic year in most cases. And you have to look at trainee nurses. Or trainee doctors. Or Garda Shaqana. Young recruits. We now know there are difficulties with these professions in the city of Dublin and other parts. So that's a challenge that we need to focus on. And while we haven't read circles those in particular areas or particular groups, I mean, where do you draw the line? And you say that too, and I understand that. But these groups will be subject to hikes in rent on a regular basis. That's the reality. But particularly students. Minister, it was reported in the media by you yesterday. It was reported by you in the media yesterday. Irish Independent News. As saying that while measures would be looked at in relation to student-specific accommodation. Measures for students in private market would not be introduced, unquote, from you. I then go on to quote in this article. We're working out issues around students while working over the bill. We're working out issues around students while working over the bill. However you want to say. However, in the private, I quote, in the private rental sector, as is at the moment. There won't be any special measures put in place in terms of private rental sector for these people. That's very disappointing. And I know the challenges. I know where your hands are tied. But these are students. These are trainees. They can't afford accommodation. And I think we have an issue there. And I'd ask you to look at that. So I finish on this point. There are many forms of students. There are students in the academic universities who can't secure accommodation internally on campus. But are using student private accommodation. They're also using ordinary private accommodation. There are student nurses who contacted my office yesterday expressing serious concerns. There are young trainee members around Garda Shaqana. There are young people in our defence forces who are competing for accommodation in the private sector. We don't have many of them living on campus as such. So I think that's an issue. It's a challenge. And I'd ask you to take it on board. And I think, you know, you did confirm all of that. And I sought out the source of that article yesterday. And I just think it raises some concerns. But you're honest. I have to admire that. You've laid it out fairly and squarely. But there is a challenge in that. And you really have to do something about it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.