Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister's answer is not good enough. He talks about supply. Of course, supply is the answer but the reality I have just outlined is that there are only 4,000 houses available to rent this month. There is no point in the Minister talking about a year or so. We need to have a rental policy now and that rental policy has to affect every citizen. We do not want a protracted process that involves only people affected now in Dublin and Cork. As far as the Government is concerned, the people in Limerick, Waterford and other areas can take a hike. I ask Minister to reconsider that until such time as the supply becomes available, which I believe it will over time, to ensure that people will not be facing ruinous rises in their rents, wherever they live in this country. I ask him to accept the proposal to put a rent cap in place nationally until such time as the agreed strategy to increase supply becomes effective.

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