Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

With respect to amendment No. 12, I will pick up a point Deputy Cian O'Callaghan made which I think is quite important. My understanding of the change in terms of an early termination of a tenancy by a tenant with 28 days' notice is that it should deal with the concern the Deputy is raising. If it does not, I would share his concerns about international students who prepay if, for reasons that are not their fault, they have to terminate the rental agreement early and would not get the full refund. I am keen to hear the Minister respond to that. If students who prepay as part of an education, materials and accommodation bundle has, for some legitimate reason, to terminate the agreement early, surely they could avail of the 28 days' notice provided for in this Bill. If that was the case then, unlike last year, they would get full refunds if something similar happened in future. If that was not the case, the loophole is even more problematic than I thought. Will the Minister clarify that point?

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