The Dail has heard a claim that a Dublin landlord sexually harassed a tenant who couldn't afford her rent.
A Solidarity TD has read out text messages, reportedly sent to a woman renting a bedsit in the Rathmines area.
In them, the landlord tells the tenant she can live at their home "free for money" adding "but maybe something else".
When the tenant asks if the landlord is being serious, they reply "you know I think you beautiful".
At first, the landlord makes an offer of half rent in return for going out for dinner, before offering free rent if they can "agree something".
This is the rental sector in 2019 such is the power landlords have. Here are the original messages that I read from in the Dáil.#SexIsNotRent #dubw #metoo pic.twitter.com/zAIdmU6BW9
— Ruth Coppinger TD (@RuthCoppingerTD) September 18, 2019
Ruth Coppinger has called for proper research to find out how many tenants have been put in similar situations.
"In England the Shelter organisation reports 250,000 women have been propositioned by landlords in this way", she told the Dail.
Deputy Coppinger says the housing crisis has become "so insane" that "sex for rent is becoming a reality for a lot of tenants".
The Housing Minister has called the messages as "disgusting" and "reprehensible".
Eoghan Murphy described the texts as a "horrible thing for somebody to go through".
He has promised to ask the Minister for Justice to look into carrying out research to check if many other tenants are being put in similar situations.
