Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has called for the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien to convene an emergency meeting for opposition spokespeople on the new rental legislation he is publishing on Friday.

The Dublin Mid-West TD added that the position of renters is too precarious for the minister to push through legislation without adequate scrutiny

Teachta Ó Broin said: “The Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien today confirmed that he would be bring new legislation on the rental sector to cabinet on Thursday, will publish it on Friday and aims to get it through the Oireachtas next week.

“During the last Dáil, Minister Coveney and Minister Murphy had a bad habit of introducing important legislation late in the Dáil term without allowing sufficient time for scrutiny.

“This unfortunately led to some poorly drafted legislation.

“Darragh O’Brien, along with myself and other opposition spokespeople, were at the time highly critical of this approach by Fine Gael. It now looks that he is adopting a similar approach to his predecessors.

“The best way to avoid this is to organise a briefing with opposition spokespeople on the legislation for this Friday before formal sessions of the Oireachtas next week. The government must also give adequate time for full scrutiny of the legislation when it comes before the house.

“I have today written to the minister requesting such a briefing.

“The situation is too important and the position of renters is too precarious for the minister to push through legislation without adequate scrutiny.”