There appears to be no sign of a deal between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over proposed caps to rent increases.

Enda Kenny and Simon Coveney are sticking by their plans to limit annual increases to 4% in high-demand areas.

But Fianna Fail insists that the cap should be lower – and that 4% is too high.

Micheal Martin said his party would be constructive, but that the cap for rent increases must be lowered: “Given the scale of increases Taoiseach, the 4% is excessive above the levels of rent we have already seen and people have suffered.

“So there is a need to bring that down, with the view that it is excessive, and we are holding to that we are prepared to be constructive in our engagement.”