Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

On the issue of existing stock, the LDA will now have cost-rental properties on whose rental income it pays no corporation tax along with about 1,000 units on whose rental income it will pay corporation tax. My view and that of my party is that corporation tax should never have applied to the LDA's rental income in the first instance. I do not have a problem with the exemption but I do believe it should apply to the existing stock and that those rents should be recalculated, passing the benefit on to the customers. These cost-rental units are not in private hands but in the hands of the State, are they not? Is that not still the case? It is therefore within the gift of the State to ensure this rental income is treated like everybody else's income from cost rental will now be treated and that the rents are recalculated on that basis. It is definitely doable.