Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not sure what Deputy Boyd Barrett is proposing. He seems to be proposing legislation whereby the Government would intervene and slash rents. We all know why that would not be a practical solution. That would not provide an additional property for any person in the State. If anything, the Government coming in to slash rents would create other problems. There would not be additional supply, which is what we need now. Fewer people would be willing to let their properties and get involved in the buy-to-let sector if a socialist government was to come along and slash rents and control the rents being charged. There would also be many accidental landlords, for example, for whom that rent is how they pay their mortgage. They would be put into mortgage arrears and huge financial difficulty. The Deputy's solution would make matters worse, as is always the case.

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