Mary Lou McDonald has said a Sinn Féin led government will cut rents and ban rent increases for three years. 

We will also deliver homes to buy and to rent at affordable rates and on a scale needed to meet this housing crisis head on.

Ms McDonald was responding to the latest report from Daft.ie which shows that rents are soaring out of control with the average statewide rent now hitting €1955 a month. 

The Sinn Féin Leader is on the campaign trail today in Cork North West with candidate Nicole Ryan and later in County Limerick with candidate Joanne Collins.

Ms. McDonald said;

“The rental market is now a runaway train. Rents are spiralling out of control all across the state. It is particularly bad here in Munster with rents up 20% in Limerick in a year to a staggering level of an average of €2221 a month.

“Rents in Cork City have risen by 10% to €2,077 a month. This can’t continue. People cannot afford rents at this level and have a decent quality of life or plan for the future. 

“These runaway rents are pushing many workers and families to the brink and many of our young people are now heading to the airports in search of opportunity and  a better life in Australia and Canada. 

“We have to get rents under control now and we have to give people hope for the future. That is what a Sinn Féin government will do and we will act with urgency to sort out this mess.

“We will begin by cutting rents by putting a month’s rent back into the pockets of renters and we will ban rent increases for three years. We will also deliver homes to buy and to rent at affordable rates and on a scale needed to meet this crisis head on.

“The refusal of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil to implement a ban on rent increases has been disastrous. In the last four years average new rents have increased by €6000 a year. That is deeply shocking.

“Many renters should be in a position to buy their own home. Instead the average age to buy a first home is now 39 years of age. People are forced to pay rip-off rents that hit hard on their ability to save for a deposit.

“Runaway rents on the watch of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil show again why people need to vote to change the government on November 29th.”