Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

6 o’clock

How anyone could say this makes economic sense is beyond me. The only thing that makes sense is that it constitutes further capitulation to landlords who have close connections with Fine Gael and now it seems the Labour Party. The Minister for Social Protection today announced rent payments would be increased on a case by case basis; therefore, people will still have to go begging to their local community welfare officer without rent controls being introduced at the same time. The Government seems to be happy to keep shovelling money in the direction of private landlords that could be used to build homes. I have seen it all. Nobody from the Labour Party will be sitting on the other side after the next general election. The difference between now and previous times when the Labour Party could exit the coalition for a while, lick its wounds and then slither back in is that there is now competition from others on the left. It appears to have learned nothing from the message delivered by the electorate.

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