Clare’s Sinn Fein deputy insists that banning rent increases for three years is the only solution to take pressures off tenants.
Maximum rent increases were recently linked to inflation and while this was meant to significantly reduce the previous limit of 4 per cent, the inflation rate is now almost the same, at 3 per cent.
It comes at a time when CSO figures show additional increases in the cost of living with water charges, electricity, gas and other fuel prices up by up to 7.3%.
Kilrush based Deputy, Violet Anne Wynne says Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien’s plans for rent controls are now ‘in tatters’.
A bill aimed at increasing rights and protections for renters will be introduced in the Dail later, meanwhile.
The Labour Party’s bringing forward its Renters Rights Bill, which it says will address the power imbalance between renters and landlords.
It includes protections against evictions and provisions to prevent large rent hikes, while it also proposes to improve renters quality of life, with measures like the right to have pets and request an unfurnished home.
