Govt Urged To Introduce Emergency Legislation On Rent Certainty

The Government has been urged to introduce emergency rent certainty legislation next week, in an effort to stop the spiralling cost of rent.

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, made the call during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, challenging the Tánaiste over the legislation.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "Three quarters of a million people across the state live in the private rented sector. In Dublin one in four households rent, paying an average of €1,500 per month. Low and middle income renting families are now paying between 40% and 60% of their disposable income on rent.

"Renting is no longer preserve of a small number of transient students, low income families and saving first time buyers. The private rented sector is where low and middle income workers and those on Council waiting lists spend long periods of time.

"Since 2014 rents have been spiralling out of control, with average rents across the state rising to over €1,000 per month. In the Tánaiste's own constituency of Dublin Mid-West a family renting a three bedroom house in Foxborough or Earlsfort can expect to pay €1,700 per month, more than €20,000 a year for a modest family home."

He continued: "The government has done nothing to tackle the rental crisis. The mealy mouthed measures introduced in 2014 did nothing to stop the spiralling cost of accommodation. Sinn Féin offered a solution last June with our Rent Certainty Bill. However, Fine Gael, eagerly supported by Fianna Fáil, voted it down. That Bill would have saved struggling renters up to €2,000 a year.

"The government has an opportunity next week to provide some relief to tenants. When the Minister brings his Planning, Development and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 to the Seanad he must include a rent certainty amendment. If he doesn't, Sinn Féin will table such amendments. With Fianna Fáil now indicating that they support rent certainty we expect their support to help these pass."

(MH)