I also extend my sympathy to those affected by the school shooting in Austria. The Taoiseach was right about one thing; I did not expect these proposals. That is because at no stage in recent months, weeks or even today, until the press release was issued earlier, was there any mention by Government in all its spin that what it is actually introducing here - and the Taoiseach has not even acknowledged it himself in his comments as he seems to be ashamed of it, and rightly so - is that every six years, rent regulation as we know will be effectively gone and landlords can fully up the rents.

Sentiment score: 0.01

The Taoiseach can talk about his 2%, inflation and all the rest of it but if people are going to face astronomical rent increases they cannot afford every six years, Government will drive more people into homelessness. In a country where rents are already incredibly high - among the highest in Europe - the Taoiseach will only make things worse. Will he admit that in the last bullet point of his press release issued today, he is allowing full rent increases up to any level - up to market levels - across the board to any landlord and tenancy affecting any renter? That is what these proposals are about. "Government policy to increase rents" are not my words; they are the words of homeless charity, Focus Ireland, in describing Government proposals. What Government has done - while we have incredibly high rents here already - is brought forward a proposal to make that situation even worse. It is throwing renters under the bus. Incredibly, Government is planning even more favourable treatment for vulture funds than already exist. These funds currently pay almost no tax and charge some of the highest rents in the country. Now, when it comes to rent regulation, Government is rolling over for them yet again. It is allowing investment funds that control the entire rental stock in an area to jack up rents to what they determine is a market rent every six years. These funds have so much control, they will often be able to decide and determine what a market rent is in an area. Who is in charge here? Is it the Government or the vulture funds? Homelessness is already at record levels. There are 15,580 people living in homeless emergency accommodation. That includes 4,775 children who are growing up without a home. These proposals of incredible rent increases will drive more families and children into homelessness. How could Government contemplate doing this when homelessness is already at record levels? In terms of this work the Government has done and these proposals it has put forward, has Government assessed the impact of these proposals? If it has assessed it, will it publish that assessment? Does the Taoiseach know, as a result of these changes, how much rent will be increased and how many more people will be driven into homelessness?

Sentiment score: -0.06

Time and again, we have put forward proposals to increase supply and financing, most recently with regard to leveraging some of the savings on deposit in Ireland and incentivising how they could be invested in housing. Pension funds in other countries invest in housing that is affordable. The Government is creating a system in which rents just go up and up, beyond people's reach. That is the difference. The Government's press release from just over an hour ago states, "All landlords will have the right to reset rent where the rent is below market at the end of each six-year tenancy". Is the press release wrong? The Taoiseach has not commented on the ability of all landlords to reset rent every six years. He keeps brushing around about 2% and inflation. Will he answer that? Is the press release wrong? Why is he not commenting on it? Is he ashamed of what is in the press release? Why does he keep talking about everything else but that this is a measure to effectively abolish rent regulation as we know it? It will allow astronomical rent increases that people simply will not be able to afford and will push more and more people into homelessness.

Sentiment score: 0.02