Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In its wisdom, the Government in July pegged rents to inflation. That was at a time when we were warning about rising prices and my colleague, Deputy Eoin Ó Broin, said this measure was too little, too late, and tenants would be left at the mercy of unpredictable and high inflation.

Three months on, what has happened? It is exactly as we said. Inflation is now running at over 4.3%, meaning a tenant subject to a landlord's review today could see the rent pushed up by 4.3%. Somebody in Dublin paying the average rent of €1,848 per month could see the rent increased by a landlord by over €950 per year. Does the Minister agree the Government has made a dog's dinner of this matter? Does he agree that the Government must implement the proposals Sinn Féin has advocated for years now?

Will the Government introduce a rent freeze to cover the next three years and bring in a refundable tax credit, which would put a month's rent back into renters' pockets?

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