Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has warned that the Government has ‘lost control of the housing market’.

His comments were made after the latest Daft.ie rent report recorded the highest rents to date and the lowest number of rental properties on the market since their records began.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Today’s Daft.ie rent report is deeply troubling. According to the report, rents have never been higher and the number of new rentals available on the market have never been lower. These are two records that no renter wants to see.

”State-wide, new rents have increased by almost 13% on last year. 23 counties have double digit inflation with average rents state wide now €1618 per month and all average rents in Dublin well over €2000 per month.

“It is clear that Darragh O’Brien and the Government have lost control of the housing market. Two years in office and almost a year into his housing plan and Darragh O’Brien is presiding over record highs in rents, house prices and homelessness. Meanwhile, social and affordable housing is well behind target and the private rental sector is shrinking.

”Budget 2023 is the Minister’s last chance to make the level of change required to fix our deepening housing crisis. We need a dramatic increase in funding to deliver 20,000 social and affordable homes every year for the next decade. We need emergency action to reduce homelessness and slow down the disorderly exit of landlords from the private rental sector.

“It is not clear whether the Minister understands the depths of the crisis he is perpetuating. If we don’t see real change in September then this Government’s days are numbered.”