Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I am asking because the statement also points out that what the CSO considers to be unknown or informal dwellings are also in rural areas. If it was comparing like with like and was 30% less, that would suggest a number of these may well be informal rental arrangements or discounted rents between family members. However, if it is overall, that does not suggest any family discounts in that area because one would expect rents to be significantly less in rural areas. That is why I was asking. We cannot conclude anything from that but it certainly does not point towards discounted rents.

The statement suggested that informal rented dwellings are more likely to be detached houses. Our general concept of a licensee in the rented sector, for the most part, is someone in the rent-a-room situation and, obviously, there are licensees offering student accommodation, digs and so on. We have nothing to suggest there are a substantial number of licensees in detached dwellings.