Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)

The only person who has managed to sow confusion is the Taoiseach, ably assisted by the Minister, Deputy Browne. I am very glad he was listening so attentively to me this morning. I hope he heard my appeal again to him to stop screwing things up. It is almost as if the Taoiseach deliberately set out repeatedly to make a mess of things. Deputy Martin is the Taoiseach, accountable to the House. I have put questions to him. They are reasonable and fair questions that renters all across the State are asking. Here is his fair and balanced package. For the investors - yes, cuckoos and vultures - what do they get? They get the opportunity for a higher rent yield. That is the big attraction into the market to boost supply, as the Taoiseach would have it. Of course, they pay not one cent in tax on their rent roll. That is nice, is it not? That is for them. Then what for the renter?

See this speech in context