Sinn Féin Leader on Dublin City Council and European election candidate for Dublin, Daithí Doolan, has said sky-high rents in Dublin show local communities have been failed by the government’s disastrous housing policy.

He said it’s time for a change of government to get to grips with the housing crisis.

The latest Daft.ie rent report shows rents in Dublin are the highest in the state with average rents in the South County €2,671, South City €2,453, City Centre €2,353, North County €2,298, West County €2,280 and North County €2,169.

Cllr Doolan said:

“The latest Daft.ie rent report shows rents are the highest in the state,

“Average rents in the South County are now €2,671, South City €2,453, City Centre €2,353, North County €2,298, West County €2,280 and North County €2,169.

“These are totally unaffordable prices. People are pushed to the pin of their collar and simply cannot afford these eye watering increases.

“What all of this shows is that the government’s housing plan is not working and the people of Dublin are paying the price.

“Every day that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael remain in office, the worse things are getting. Yet to listen to European election candidates for the government, you wouldn’t even know there was a housing crisis causing misery across Dublin.

“Regina Doherty, Barry Andrews and Ciarán Cuffe need to be clear with people – how can they defend their party’s role in overseeing the housing crisis? How can they justify the total disaster that is government housing policy?

“Sinn Féin has a plan to get to grips with the housing crisis. Our plan would ensure workers and families on ordinary incomes can rent or buy genuinely affordable homes.

“Our plan would put in place a ban on rent increases for all tenants, put a full month’s rent back into every private renter’s pocket, and deliver a dramatic increase and acceleration in the delivery of social, affordable rental and affordable purchase homes.

“Voting for Sinn Féin on 7th June is the first step in getting this disastrous government out of office. A vote for Sinn Féin is a vote for change.”