There are two points here. First of all, Naomi O'Leary's article on Marc Godart is shocking. I identified the list of authorities for whom the content of that article and his behaviour should be a matter of interest. I would add the Garda to that potentially. If the law is broken, it is broken. There are enforcement mechanisms to enforce the law and we have invested record amounts in the RTB. There is €13.4 million for the RTB in 2024 and €10.75 million for local authority inspections in the rental sector and for the regulation of short-term lettings. The rent laws are there and set out very clear requirements and obligations on landlords which the RTB can investigate and enforce. I do not think the investigations or enforcement are at the scale they should be given the overall numbers. This creates a huge challenge reputationally for the broader rental market when there are people like Mr. Godart behaving in a manner that he clearly has behaved in, as evidenced by the article in The Irish Times. We have enforcement authorities to enforce the law when it is broken and they should give their attention to this.

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