Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has accused government of continuing to fail renters. 

His comments were made as the Residential Tenancies Board released its Q4 2022 rent report showing a 7.6% increase in new rents across the state.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“Today, the Residential Tenancies Board has released its Q4 2022 rent report. New rents are up 7.5% statewide to an average of €1507, and an average of €2063 in Dublin.

“Thirteen counties have experienced double digit rent increases with Longford seeing the highest increase of 18.5%.

“These increases will, in many cases, wipe out the impact of the government’s poorly designed and insufficient renters tax credit.

“Given the level of notices-to-quit currently working their way through the system, particularly since the government ended the ban on no-fault evictions, these increases will make it even harder for many renters facing eviction from securing alternative tenancies.

“None of this will come as a surprise to anyone familiar with recent trends in the private rental sector. Indeed it is all wearily predictable.

“Despite this, all the government has to offer hard-pressed renters and those facing homelessness from the rental market is a review of the sector.

“This confirms once again the lack of any meaningful plan to address the urgent challenges of rising rents, insecure tenancies and a shrinking private rental sector.

“What is needed is a package of reforms to protect renters. This must include a three year ban on rent increases for existing and new tenancies; a refundable tax credit to put a full month’s rent back into every private renter’s pocket; and a massive expansion of affordable cost-rental homes to deliver at least 4000 affordable rental homes per year.”