The government says there may be a hold up bringing in new laws to regulate rent levels in student accommodation .
The Sinn Féin bill would bring student housing under the regulations covered by rent pressure zones.
It follows student protests against major rent hikes at accommodation in DCU and NUI Galway.
Damien English, the Junior Housing Minister, says "We're not just fully convinced that in its current form that it can work to achieve the result that you want and we all want."
"It's a case of how to we work through this to make it something that is achievable and can give us the end result that we need and will also stand up to constitutional challenges as well."
