Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Last February the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, confirmed "the Government is proposing a statutory framework which will introduce a rent certainty for up to four years". Throughout the year, month by month, the Minister, Deputy Kelly, is quoted as saying he will bring an end to rent instability, he will bring rent certainty, he will bring proposals before Cabinet, he will tackle spiralling rents, which are now his No. 1 priority, and he expects legislation by the end of the year. In June we read that he wanted to tie rent increases to inflation and to bring in temporary rent controls to assist families which are under huge pressure and which are being made homeless on a month by month basis. In September, we had leaks and headlines from Fine Gael sources, with senior Cabinet Ministers saying it will not happen and that they are against the Minister, Deputy Kelly's plan. Worryingly, in a Jose Mourinho-type response, he then went into the third person and attacked the "anonymous cowards" who are briefing against him.

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