Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, introduced legislation to ban upward only rents. As everyone knows, the legal advice is that we cannot introduce legislation to break existing contracts as it would be unconstitutional. It is the same issue which pertains to Aer Lingus. I gave an undertaking that I and the Minister, Deputy Ahern, through a working group, would examine how we can address what retailers see as the unreasonable manner in which we have rent increases when we are currently in such a difficult economic climate.

On the arbitration issue, I gave an undertaking that I will examine some of the issues which were raised in private.

See this speech in context