Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. We are always open to examining new ways of making more accommodation available. Where there is spare capacity in homes, we have looked at all the different policy levers we have to see how we can encourage people to make those rooms available. As the Deputy knows, we have a very generous rent-a-room relief scheme. Up to €14,000 of income can be received tax-free. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has made a change from a social welfare perspective to ensure that people can receive income when they rent out a room in their home without it counting against them in the context of their social welfare benefits. We will, however, consider the points made by the Deputy to see what more can be done and what other options there may be to allow more accommodation to be freed up around the country.

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