The rent tax credit was introduced by the Finance Act 2022 and may be claimed in respect of qualifying rent paid in 2022 and subsequent years to the end of 2025. The value of the credit was €500 for a single person and €1,000 for a jointly assessed couple. For 2024 and 2025, the value of the credit increased to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a jointly assessed couple. The rent tax credit has played a valuable role in providing financial support to renters right across the country. I am informed by Revenu…

I am very much aware of the value and role that this rent tax credit plays in helping with the cost of living. That is why over a number of budgets I, along with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and the former Minister, Michael McGrath, have made changes to the value of it. The decisions that will be made on budget day are being carefully considered at the moment. As I said to the Deputy earlier in response to his earlier question, it would not be appropriate for me to indicate now what we plan to do. We have to be v…

The figures I shared with the Deputy earlier show overall that this rent tax credit is being reasonably broadly used. I remember when the tax credit was brought in that in the early period in which it was being made available, I was concerned that the drawdown and use of it was not as broad as I would have hoped. Towards the end of the tax year, however, we saw more taxpayers who were eligible for it register. As regards the communication and drawing attention to it, the advertising the State does directly and then…

The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund is a €16.6 billion fund comprising a discretionary portfolio of €8.9 billion and a directed portfolio of €7.7 billion based on its annual report. It has complete independence in implementing its investment strategy under the NTMA Acts under an investment committee reporting to the NTMA's board. At the end of 2024, ISIF held, both directly and indirectly, €7.76 million in six companies listed on the UN database, which is 0.16% of its global portfolio. Direct investments by the I…

I have shared this information with the Dáil on a number of occasions since I was reappointed as Minister for Finance. I am absolutely aware of all the awful humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding on the people of Gaza and the House is aware of the very strong diplomatic action that this State is taking with regard to it. On this particular issue, as I said, ISIF has divested from a number of companies that are active in that area. It is independent of me. I do not play a role in directing it with regard to ind…

Again, I condemn what is happening to the people of Gaza and the awful violence and trauma that is being inflicted on them. However, the Deputy referred to the importance of international law. I also have to adhere to domestic law and under domestic law, ISIF is independent of me. I can give it guidance, and strong guidance, in relation to its overall strategy, for which I have a statutory role, but I do not play a role in individual decisions it makes with regard to shares or bonds.

It is important that I do not play a role. This is an organisation that is responsible for €16.6 billion of our money. In order for that money to be looked after and managed in a way that is safe, it is very important that a Government does not play a role in directing it on individual transactions it makes.

I want to emphasise again my condemnation of all that is happening to the people of Gaza.

I provided some information on this in my answer to Deputy Nash earlier, so I will just reiterate some of the key points. It will take some time to understand the consequences of this understanding that has been reached between a number of countries and America. The key issue I am concerned about is how this is consistent with the operation of the OECD agreement and the particular issues within that broad framework for me are, first, what this means for the competitiveness of countries and companies that are still …

I do not expect pillar 1 to conclude soon given all the difficulties with regard to pillar 2 at the moment. On whether this would automatically lead to a change in the EU directive, I do not believe it will. As I said in response to Deputy Nash earlier, we are considering what this will mean for the implementation of the EU directive and what that means for Ireland’s competitiveness and for Europe’s competitiveness if Ireland and Europe stay inside the second pillar of the OECD agreement while America is co-existin…

I believe they are still inside the OECD agreement and pillar 2 and those countries are participating in the OECD reaction to all this and making clear they are committed to the OECD process. Therefore, the answer to the Deputy’s question is that, yes, I believe they are still in it. I have not spoken to EU finance ministers on this particular tax issue in the last number of weeks but it was discussed at the Economic and Financial Affairs Council, ECOFIN breakfast that took place a week ago. At that meeting, most o…

The brevity of the Deputy's question gives me a moment to outline what Government is already doing to help with student accommodation-----

-----and to make a difference to what we know is a huge cost for many families. The Government is clear in recognising education, particularly higher and further education, allows students to fulfil their potential and plays a vital role in the economic development of our country in creating jobs and culture that is the heart of the progress Ireland is making. Let me outline the supports we are already providing and what we are already doing to respond to the need we know is there.

At present, with the support the Government has made available through the Minister, Deputy Lawless, as well as the work of this Government and the previous one, one in three students did not pay a student contribution. At present, half of students, through the SUSI scheme available, are supported in costs for becoming students, which we know are difficult. The Government has adjusted the standard rate income threshold by 15% to ensure more families and students are in a position to get the help they need.

Today, households with an income of up to €64,000 do not pay a student contribution. For those families who have more family members or a higher number of children, that ceiling is higher again. For postgraduate education, maintenance grants have been fully restored and a SUSI support is now available for the first time for those in hybrid or part-time education. That is what the Government has done and is already in place as we recognise the great challenge many families and students face with the cost of educatio…

The Deputy's question may have been brief-----

-----but the answer to it is longer in outlining the supports and difference we already make and want to build upon.

It is exactly because this issue is life-defining for so many that Government already has supports in place.

Of course, Sinn Féin will never acknowledge this in any contribution it makes. The difference between those of us who sit over here and Deputy Carthy is that we are interested in solutions rather than sound bites.

We are interested in action that will make a difference-----