Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

Committee on Budgetary Oversight

Residential Premises Rental Income Relief and Mortgage Interest Relief in Budget 2024: Discussion

Mr. John Kennedy:

There is a latency to that. The Deputy is talking about the economic theory of supply and demand. People may be unable to rent their properties because there is a better or cheaper option around the corner and buyers or renters will substitute and go there to buy or to rent. No one would rent a more expensive property that is of lesser quality or exactly the same quality as the alternative. Price is controlled by supply. Standards also increase when there is more supply because people are competing against each other. Economic theory absolutely applies.