Coming from the committees, it is hard. Deputy Quaide has outlined our many concerns in relation to CETA. Today, my inbox has been flooded with messages from constituents encouraging me to vote against amending the Arbitration Act. As pointed out, there is no EU deadline that requires this Government to ratify the Act. The Government is jumping the gun and no one is asking it to do so. It is another example of this Government catering to investor funds and prioritising deregulation over welfare, services and the needs of people. I want to talk in particular about the biggest social and economic crisis this country faces, namely, the issue of housing. I have highlighted for many years and made the case that investor finds in the area of housing have been given an oversized role in this country. There are significant downsides to the increased role of institutional investors, corporate landlords and large global equity funds in our housing market. Part of the reason they are here is not to solve our housing crisis but to use our tax system as a way to minimise the tax they pay. It is also, of course, because of the huge rents they can charge. I spoke to someone recently who claimed - we need to look at this - that apartments are left vacant because the value to these global funds is not so much the rental income but the value of that asset appreciating over time. This is not unique to Ireland. It was highlighted, for example, in London. I researched that in the past and the issue of the financialisation of housing - that housing has turned into a global asset and the value and use of that asset is not as a home but as something used in global wealth funds as an asset on their balance sheets. They are not so much concerned about whether it is even rented out or used but it is the value of that asset in the fund. There is real potential for CETA to impact negatively on this area in further reducing the rights of Irish renters and tenants. It feels like the Government is doing nothing but chipping away at people in terms of the cost of living - people cannot get a home - and even in its prioritisation of investor funds with tax breaks. The concern is this will add another layer of investor funds having a power and influence over our Government. Will this impact the ability of the Irish Government and the Irish people, through the Government, to regulate and impose laws on institutional funds part-owned by Canada, for example, and, in general, by overseas foreign owners? For example, one of Ireland's largest corporate landlords, IRES REIT, was set up by a Canadian real estate fund. The concern is that CETA will not only reduce workers’ rights and lead to further pressure not to ratify measures like collective bargaining but also skew the market even further towards vulture funds and usher in what is essentially a freeze on regulation. There is a real risk that if this agreement is put in place, an Irish Government that attempts to legislate to improve housing standards or to control rents further or to control evictions further could be liable in terms of damages from Canadian companies in the housing market. I do not think the seriousness of this can be overstated. There is a need to protect renters and workers. Could we see, in the future, corporate landlords suing for loss of profits off the back of legislation on rent caps, tenants’ rights, eviction bans and standards of rented accommodation, or suing if the Irish State decided it wanted to impose affordability requirements or purchase the properties to ensure they were rented out affordably? It is wrong that the Government is signing off on legislation that will potentially place the needs of international corporate landlords over the housing needs of renters and people in this country. I will not be voting for it. I am deeply disappointed that the Government continues to push through a regressive agenda of sweetheart deals for investors over dealing with and supporting workers and renters in this country.

Sentiment score: 0.06