Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

The first day of the new Dáil term was dominated by the turf wars, not an unimportant issue but, in my view, far from the most important issue in Irish society. An issue of far greater concern to my constituents is the price of rent. There was no surprise this morning when we learned the new figures from the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, with rent up 9% year on year. We do not see Ministers coming to blows on this issue. We do not see Government backbenchers raising the spectre of the fall of the Government on this issue. Why not? Perhaps it is not so surprising. There are so many landlords on the Government benches, on the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael benches, that the satisfaction levels on this issue must be quite high on the Taoiseach's side of the House.

I am beyond asking the Taoiseach to freeze rents. Freezing would maintain them at an unjust level. I am asking the Taoiseach whether he is prepared to consider legislation to cut rents and then to freeze them at reduced levels.

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