The Residential Tenancies Bill that will change the law around renting in the country has passed committee and final stage in the Dáil.
In a vote just before 10.50pm, the bill passed with 79 votes in favour and 70 votes against.
As there were fewer than ten votes in the difference, Sinn Féin whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn requested a roll call vote which then took place.
The result of that was 80 votes in favour and 70 votes against.
The Ceann Comhairle then declared the bill passed.
In the course of a five-hour debate this evening, only nine of 69 amendments that had been put forward by opposition parties were discussed.
None were accepted by the Government during a number of votes that took place.
The bill goes to the Seanad tomorrow.
The changes to the rental system are due to commence at the beginning of next month.
During the debate, Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin accused the Government of being "embarrassed" over the bill which he said they are rushing through.
Mr Ó Broin's party had previously criticised the Government for "pushing through" the final stages of the bill before it goes to the Seanad tomorrow.
"This is a truly appalling way to make legislation," Mr Ó Broin said.
Speaking in the Dáil this evening, he said that the Government was guilty of an "astounding" and "shocking" failure to make an assessment of the impact the bill would have "on the rents that renters pay".
Labour Party's Spokesperson on Housing Conor Sheehan said the Government was "using the guillotine" to "ram through" the "most significant" rent legislation in ten years.
Speaking during a Dáil debate on the bill, Mr Sheehan said the bill is a "mirage".
He said the Government is trying to give security of tenure to tenants but allowing landlords to reset rents to market levels at the same time.
Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne labelled the bill as "disastrous", adding that it will "screw" young people to make profits for investors.
Mr Hearne said the bill will raise rents and that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are disconnected from the reality of trying to rent in Ireland.
In response, Minister for Housing James Browne told the Dáil that the housing crisis, the rental crisis and the homelessness crisis are "supply" crises.
He said the Government is strengthening tenants rights with security of tenure while driving investment.
The minister said existing renters will not see any change as a result of the bill.
Mr Browne said investment is not a dirty word and it is needed.
"We want to solve the housing crisis and that is what we working towards doing. I get what the opposition are doing.
"It is playing on the fears and emotions of those people who are in a rental situation.
"We don't have that luxury," he said.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald told the Dáil earlier that the new rent legislation will throw renters to the wolves, branding it a huge gift to landlords and vulture funds.
She said the legislation will lead to people having to choose between emigrating or moving home to their parents, as well as forcing more families into homelessness.
Speaking during Leaders' Questions, Ms McDonald said that renters in Galway are facing annual hikes of €5,000 and there will be increases of more than €3,000 in Cork and Dublin.
The Taoiseach disagreed with the Sinn Féin leader saying the new system will give renters and landlords certainty.
Micheál Martin said that up to half a million current tenancies will not be impacted by the new legislation.
The six-year tenancies give renters greater security and it moves towards the ending of no fault evictions, the Taoiseach insisted.
"It unquestionably gives tenants more security," Mr Martin said.
A protest was held outside Leinster House opposing the bill during later Dáil debates.
Landlords to be allowed reset rents to market rates when property becomes vacant
Sinn Féin has attacked a provision in the proposed law which says that from 1 March, landlords whose properties become vacant will be able to reset rents to market rates.
There will be no changes for existing leases.
But new tenancies after 1 March will be subject to a minimum duration of six years in an effort to give tenants more security of tenure.
The Government has said it is introducing the legislation as part of an effort to attract more investment into the property market.
It has highlighted the additional security of tenure tenants will get from leases of at least six years.
According to the Department of Housing: "Landlords will only be able to end the tenancy in specific situations, such as the tenant is not meeting their obligations or the property no longer suits the tenant's needs.
"Smaller landlords, defined as having three or fewer tenancies, will also be allowed to terminate during the six-year term if they encounter financial or other hardship requiring sale of the property, or if the landlord or a close family member needs to live in the property."
Watch: Opposition slams proposed rental changes
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'Why would young people stay here'
Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the new Residential Tenancies Bill will have "one overriding result - allowing record rents rip even further".
She said the market rate reset will lead to monthly rents for new tenancies soaring up to €2,500 and €3,000 all over the country.
"That is €30,000 or more every year in after-tax income that renters will be expected to pay," she said.
Ms Cairns said this increase would lead to critical public service workers being priced out, while young people will leave the country.
"Why would young people in their 20s and 30s stay here just to hand over all of their income to a landlord? What sort of life is that?" she asked.
Ms Cairns said more children will also become homeless as a result.
She said the Social Democrats would alternatively set up a State-construction company and acquire four modular home factories, as well as a new State-savings scheme to build homes.
The Taoiseach said he fundamentally did not agree with Ms Cairns assertions.
He said the Housing Commission, the Housing Agency, the ERSI and most economists recommend that the Rent Pressure Zones system needed to be reformed, and this is what the Government is doing.
"The fundamental difference between Government and Opposition is we want to sort out the housing issue, we want to deal with it," he told the Dáil.
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