Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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I thank the Minister for taking me through this. I expect there is some guesstimation in relation to this but that it is not a major issue.

I will go back to the issue of the advice the Minister got from the Department. From all the documents I have seen, the Department officials have been clear to the Minister that the likely scenario here, to quote his officials, is that the rational response for a landlord following the introduction of relief for tenants would be to increase rents. That is peppered over and over again. The point is also made that the introduction of tenant relief would worsen the official rate of rent inflation. Other scenarios are also provided. I have not seen any written documentation to suggest the contrary in terms of the advice to the Minister, and that was his position. It is fair to ask the Minister why he has ignored the advice of his officials in this regard.