Political leaders have clashed over whether the next Government is legally allowed to introduce a freeze on rents.

Seven party leaders are going head-to-head in the penultimate TV of the general election campaign tonight.

The Virgin Media One debate features Leo Varadkar, Micheál Martin, Mary Lou McDonald, Brendan Howlin, Eamon Ryan, Mick Barry and Catherine Murphy.

The debate, hosted by Ivan Yates and Matt Cooper, is the last chance for some of the panel to win the hearts and minds of the television watching public.

Housing

Housing has been a defining issue of the campaign there was a clear difference in opinion among the leaders over the possibly of introducing a rent freeze to keep struggling families in their homes.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said his party was not promising a rent freeze because it had received legal advice that the proposal is unconstitutional.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin ahead of a seven way leaders General Election debate at the Virgin Media Studios in Dublin, Ireland, 30-20-2020. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

“I don't want to promise something I can't deliver,” he said. “I do believe in strong rent controls because it is a big issue.”

He insisted the biggest way to tackle the housing crisis is through increasing supply “with a degree of urgency we simply have not seen over the last six years.”

“I remember before the 2011 General election, Labour and Fine Gael promising upward rent review only,” he said.

“We were told they had legal advice – cast-iron – what happened after the election? The Attorney General came back and said it was unconstitutional.”

Rent freeze

Labour leader Brendan Howlin insisted that the Constitution does not prevent a freeze.

“That is just not right,” he said. “You can freeze rents.”

“The biggest cost of homeless right now, ask any housing agency, is rising rents. Of course we need landlords, of course we need renters – but we need a controlled market so people are not put out on the street.”

He rejected the idea that supply would dry up if rent freeze was introduced.

"We have robust rents already and I don't think we need bigger rent for people in this crisis.”

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald ahead of a seven way leaders General Election debate at the Virgin Media Studios in Dublin, Ireland, 30-20-2020. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

"Flip-flopping"

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said Deputy Martin was "flip-flopping" on the issue and trying to hide behind "highly questionable legal advice."

She claimed Sinn Féin would spend €13bn on housing and insisted there are enough workers in Ireland to build so many houses in such a short time.

“There is a lot of building happening,” she said. “Anyone who comes to the city of Dublin can see the cranes on the skyline.

“The problem is we are building the wrong things. We certainly need to convert that capacity away from building commercial properties and into building homes.

“We need more apprenticeships, we certainly need more capacity and we need a rent freeze.

“Micheál Martin’s alibi, His flip-flopping on this rent freeze is astonishing. He just doesn't want to do it and he is hiding behind highly questionable legal advice.”

Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar ahead of a seven way leaders General Election debate at the Virgin Media Studios in Dublin, Ireland, 30-20-2020. Image: Niall Carson/PA Wire/PA Images

Landlords

Leo Varadkar said landlords are crucial for a healthy housing market.

“We do actually need landlords in the country because if you don't have landlords, then there is nowhere for people to rent and rents only go up and up," he said.

"Most people in Ireland who are landlords are just people who have worked hard and managed to buy an investment property.”

He admitted vulture funds that buy up new builds should be paying higher taxes – but insisted they only account for 1% of 2% of the market.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said the building has to be spread out to other cities around the country and matched with the required infrastructure to ensure people are not forced to commute long distances.

The last debate of the campaign will be a second head-to-head debate featuring Leo Varadkar and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin next week.