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

-----expanding the social housing stock, introducing rent caps and a derelict site levy. They all accept that the market does not provide all of the solutions. We would not do these things if we thought the market could provide all of the solutions.

We do not agree with the rent tax credit which Sinn Féin proposes. We wanted to reduce income taxes for all workers, which is what we did. Sinn Féin was against that. We did it because other people are struggling too, to put together a deposit or a mortgage and we do not agree with the Sinn Féin approach, which is to give tax cuts to people who are paying the rent but nothing to anyone else. We think that is wrong and that is why we did not follow its policy in that regard. We will bring forward additional proposals to enhance tenants' rights. The Minister for Housing Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will do that in the next couple of weeks.

Finally, we cannot support Deputy Ó Broin's Bill because while it might make for a good press release and maybe some good interviews-----

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