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

There is a significant and serious issue here - and the Minister provided some of the data - in relation to existing tenancies and new tenancies. It must be remembered that new tenancies primarily relate to existing rental stock as opposed to new builds. In both cases, where a tenancy changes over, rent increases year after year have broken what is allowable under law. A 2% increase has been allowable under law. Every year, in both instances, that has been broken significantly. When I raised this with the Taoiseach and others, they stated that if we regulate too hard, we will drive landlords out. It is as if the laws in this area are somehow optional. Laws are not optional. However, proper measures have not been put in place to enforce these laws. In the absence of such measures, what we are seeing is that at least a portion of renters' tax credits are simply driving up rents. That has to be tackled in order that we get value out of the tax expenditure here.