I thank the Deputy. He is way over time.

Sentiment score: 0.18

I thank the Deputy.

Sentiment score: 0.36

I thank the Deputy.

Sentiment score: 0.36

138. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment and modelling he and his Department have carried out in the context of the residential tenancies (amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2025 on rent levels in the private rental market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4936/26]

Sentiment score: 0.01

This legislation is going to dramatically increase rents. The fact of the matter is that we have an inbuilt deficit of well over 200,000 homes. The Minister is talking about incentivising private sector investment but he is not going to be able to incentivise enough investment within the lifetime of this Oireachtas to bring rents down. Rents need to come down. Students, in particular, are going to be punished by this as they are forced to take up a new lease every year. The average length of a tenancy in this country is three and a half years. What specific public modelling has the Department done on this? Other than the Housing Agency report into RPZs, no specific modelling is available to forecast what these changes will do, which is send rents through the roof.

Sentiment score: -0.10