Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that the majority of private renters need lower rents, increased security of tenure and a pathway out of the private rental sector.

The Dublin Mid-West TD’s comments were made in response to Threshold’s Generation Rent survey.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Threshold’s Generation Rent survey, published today, is an important and welcome insight into the experiences of private renters.

“The report highlights that 74% of renters are struggling with Bills after paying rent; 53% feel insecure in their home; 42% had a rent increase in the last year; and just 6% are renting by choice.

“Government’s overreliance on the private rental sector and undersupply of social and affordable homes has left too many people in a sector that cannot meet their housing needs. It has never been more expensive and less secure to be a renter.

“What the majority of private renters need is lower rents, increased security of tenure and a pathway out of the private rental sector. This means banning rent increases for three years, putting a full month’s rent back into every private renter’s pocket, and increasing and accelerating the delivery of social and affordable homes.

“It also means redressing the balance in private residential output in favour of home ownership and away from institutional investment in the rental market.

“It is significant that the Threshold Generation Rent report was published on the same day as Savills’ 2025 Pre-Budget submission. The submission proposes the easing of rent caps to increase investment in the private rental sector.

“At a time when new rents are rising by 9% and existing rents by almost 6%, increasing pressure on renters to boost institutional investors’ pockets is not a credible proposal.

“The government’s priority must be to provide a sufficient supply of social, cost rental, affordable and private purchase homes to meet existing and emerging housing demand.

“This means ending the continued over reliance on the private rental sector to meet the housing needs of people who should not and do not want to be living in that sector.”