Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The question of a proposed rent freeze raised by a number of Deputies is a much broader policy issue that we can certainly go into. I accept it is relevant to this debate. If we were to impose a complete rent freeze for a period of time, it would further reduce supply in the rental sector. We would see further rental stock being removed from the sector. While the intention may be to help tenants, in a situation where fewer rental properties are available in the market because rents are being frozen, tenants are not going to be helped. I accept the point made by Deputy Doherty that there are people who are renting who have not claimed this relief yet and this will form part of the public information campaign to be undertaken by the Revenue Commissioners. It is important to say in instances where a rent tax credit claimant is unable to provide all of the information requested at the point of claim, it may result in his or her claim being refused. However, when a claimant provides sufficient information to satisfy Revenue of his or her entitlement to the rent tax credit, and matters beyond the claimant's control are preventing him or her from providing all of the information requested, Revenue will grant the credit to the claimant. I have to put on record that if there is information outstanding and the rent tax credit is granted, Revenue has the right to come back subsequently to look for that information. The import here is that we should be allowing the rent credit to be claimed without recourse in a situation where the property is not registered. I do not believe a property not being registered is consistent with the public policy we are trying to advance. We want rental properties to be registered. We could have two, four, six, or eight people in a rental property who are entitled to claim the rent tax credit and the public policy position should be that these properties should be registered with the RTB; we should stand over this in all aspects of our tax system. Notwithstanding that, if somebody makes the effort to get as much information as they can, but reasons beyond their control prevent them for providing all the information requested, the credit will be granted in that circumstance.