Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A recent Simon Communities survey found that no house was available for rent in the Portlaoise area within the rent limits set by the Government.

Those are the facts. Some 90% of rents are above the limits set across the State and there is no house for rent in the Portlaoise area within those limits. The limit for a family of four is €480, with a portion allocated as rent allowance, depending on income. I checked those limits again this morning.

It seems like there is a blockage by vested interests. There have been widespread reports of the Minister and his Fine Gael colleague in Cabinet having a head-to-head on this.

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