Watch: Rent exemptions for students 'unworkable'
Minister for Housing James Browne has claimed it would be "unworkable and unenforceable" to require landlords to offer special exemptions to students and lower their rent.
He said there would be no such exemptions in his rental reform legislation.
Mr Browne said tenants will not face financial penalties should they choose to break a 6-year lease which are due to come into force in March of next year.
He said that's because landlords will have a large number of prospective tenants and will be able to reset any rent to the market value.
Mr Browne rejected any suggestion that the Government made a mistake by not extending RPZ's last week.
He contended the Government has moved "very quickly" and the legislation will pass the Oireachtas this week with the help of the Opposition.
However, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the situation is now "difficult", particularly given there is no special assistance to students or short-term renters who change dwellings regularly.
Ms Bacik added that people living in homelessness know that the Government "hasn't got a leg to stand on when it comes to housing policy".
The Dublin Bay South TD accused the Cabinet of a "chaotic drip-feed of housing changes" which is "causing uncertainty".
She also said there was "very little clarity for renters" on what the Government reforms will mean and that there was "very little security" for those renters either.
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