Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has responded to the Minister for Housing’s comments in The Irish Times this morning regarding rent pressure zones and wider reforms of the rental sector.

Teachta Ó Broin said:

“I welcome that the Minister for Housing has finally accepted that rent pressure zones were not the solution to tackle rising rents and that the 4% annual increase permitted was seen as a target for many landlords, as opposed to a limit.

“While linking rents to the Consumer Price Index is a better way to manage rent price changes, rents are currently too high so we need to see a three-year rent freeze first.

“No one measure will tackle the crisis in the rental market and while a three-year rent freeze is necessary to stop rents rising further we need to see a major investment in affordable cost rental housing by this government.

“We know the private rental market cannot meet the needs of low to middle income workers and families and the State must step in to deliver these rental homes.

“The Minister must also urgently legislate for tenancies of indefinite duration to provide tenants with more security as promised in the Programme for Government.

“I also note in the Minister’s comments that he has finally acknowledged that an increasing number of landlords are leaving the market.

“According to data from the Residential Tenancies Board we have lost almost 20,000 tenancies from the rental market since 2017.

“I have asked Minister O’Brien on numerous occasions that his plan deals with this disorderly exit of accidental and semi-professional landlords from the market.

“The rental market needs urgent, comprehensive changes. I hope the Minister is serious about implementing real rental reforms and we will not see a repeat of his ham-fisted attempts at banning co-living.”