The latest Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) figures highlight the urgent need to strengthen protections for renters, according to Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne.
Deputy Hearne, who is the party’s housing spokesperson, said:
“Confirmation that rents are up 5.5 per cent nationally for new tenancies will come as little surprise to those at the coalface of the housing crisis.
“Rents have risen 4.6 per cent in existing tenancies, of which 82.6 per cent are located in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs). Existing tenants are consistently paying less than new tenants because RPZs are working.
“In Dublin, average monthly rents now stand at €2,177. How on earth would a worker earning €30,000 a year be able to afford these rents without spending their entire salary?
“Even with RPZs in place, rents are still rising at alarming rates across the country.
“The role that vulture funds and institutional investors play in inflating rents can no longer be underplayed by the government. The scale of the problem is most apparent in Dublin, where landlords owning over 100 properties provide 26.8 per cent of tenancies registered with the RTB.
“These institutional investors do not care about protecting renters and preventing homelessness, which is why the government needs to step in.
“When I raised this issue in the Dáil today, I was advised that the Housing Minister has been briefed on options regarding RPZs. But what are these options? And at what juncture will renters’ needs be factored into these decisions?
“Renters up and down the country are stressed out and fearful of rent caps being lifted. However, the government only seems to be listening to vulture fund landlords.
“When will the Housing Agency report be published? And why is the government not providing any assurance to the tens of thousands of renters across the country who are terrified they will no longer be able to afford to stay in their homes?
“To allow renters’ voices to be heard, the Social Democrats will be holding a public protest outside Leinster House, Kildare Street, next Wednesday (May 21).”
May 15, 2025