Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No. A figure of 1 would mean annual. t/12 means that it can vary. For example, if it was 3/12, it would be a quarter of 4% and so on. The reason I say that is because the Minister still has not answered why t/12 was there. Even though t/12 was flawed, when we look at other parts of it, it did provide protections, which Deputy Ó Broin and I pointed out earlier on in cases of a tenancy changing. What the Minister has done now is allowed an automatic 4% increase in rent when a new tenant takes up a tenancy in an apartment or a house. It is completely and utterly flawed.

It will also encourage landlords to have a quick roll-over in terms of tenants. In some cases, that will be where people move on themselves and in other cases, it may be where there has been encouragement from the landlord to do so. We have not got the time to deal with this in detail. Deputy Ó Broin has spoken about the issue of what is preventing a landlord in the second year from having a review after six months. There could be a 4% increase in the first year and then, six months into the second year, it goes up another 4%. That could happen because the t/12 is now gone. That was the protection in that area. The Minister points to section 24C. The point I would make on section 24C-----

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