Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Of course, the truth matters. The truth is not alone did Fianna Fáil support Fine Gael in government through confidence and supply but the Taoiseach came into this House and bragged on more than one occasion that he had secured what he described at the time as a housing budget. That was his claim, his brag at the time.

Consistency also matters and so does this. I have asked the Taoiseach questions he knows are directed towards those in the private rented sector. I do not doubt that the Government will ratchet up money into HAP and RAS, commensurate with its failure to deliver social and affordable housing; that is a long-established pattern. On behalf of those who face rents of more than €1,300 or €1,800 a month, whom the Government has left high and dry, I want an explanation.

I want to know when the Government will finally act and do the right thing. The right thing is to give relief to renters, as we have proposed. Our proposal is to put a month's rental income back in their pockets and to ban rent increases for three years. I want an explanation for those people from the Taoiseach as to why he has failed to show up for them again and failed to take these actions.

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