Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is the same answer the Minister gave when we were trying to encourage him to bring in a rent cap in the first place. Does the Minister remember that one? He comes in here as if we forget everything he has said in the past. The Government was forced to introduce a rent cap at 2%. The leader of Fine Gael, Mr. Spin himself, says it is effectively a ban on rent increases. Is the Minister acknowledging before the committee that his own policy is impacting on the availability of apartments? He is saying he has introduced this measure now, which we have been campaigning on for years, because of the cost of living. Whose cost of living is he trying to sort out? Is it the landlords'? His view for years was that this would just be passed on, Exchequer funding going directly to landlords. That is what his view is. Without a rent cap, that is what will happen. That is from the Minister and his officials. His officials gave him all this advice. They are saying the logical response to this will now be to increase rents because the Government will not go the further distance and introduce a rent cap. Does the Minister acknowledge that his statements at this committee and in the Dáil Chamber were inaccurate and that he now somehow believes that introducing a rent credit will not be a transfer of Exchequer funding directly to landlords? Is that his view at this point, or what is his view? I am confused. Has the Minister changed his mind? Is a rent credit going to be a transfer of Exchequer funding directly to landlords or not?