I propose to take Questions Nos. 2015 and 2070 together.
The extent to which Brexit will impact on the private rented residential sector or indeed on the housing market generally, is uncertain at this point in time as it will be determined at least in part by the nature of the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
In May 2017, my Department and the Economic and Social Research Institute commenced a three-year programme of collaborative research. The output of the research programme will be a series of published papers concerning housing economics and related topics. Part of this programme will include work on estimating housing demand, including examining the implications for the housing market of changes in population levels which might arise over the medium term. Net migration, whether due to Brexit or other factors, will be one of the variables considered. The first outputs from the programme in relation to estimating medium to long-term housing demand are expected in mid-2018.
I continue to work with stakeholders in implementing the Rebuilding Ireland programme and will keep the potential housing-related impacts of Brexit under review as the negotiations unfold.