Figures published by Daft today show that rents in Galway are now completely out of reach for most people, according to Social Democrats by-election candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich.
Míde said:
“The disastrous impact of the Government’s new rent rules is revealed today as rents surge at the highest rate in 25 years. The average rent for a two-bed apartment in Galway is now almost €2,300, according to the property listing website.
“This report makes for grim reading – especially for those who are desperately trying to find a home to rent. The impact of these new rent rules has been nothing short of catastrophic all across the country, but particularly in urban centres such as Galway, Cork, Limerick and Dublin.
“Who can afford these kinds of extortionate prices? These rent hikes are going to lead to a tsunami of evictions.
“The report showed there were 2,374 homes available to rent nationwide on May 1, which represented a reduction of four per cent from the previous year, but an increase on the 1,200 homes that were available on January 1. The increase in supply indicates that landlords were keeping properties off the market when tenancies ended until the new rules came in on March 1.
“The changes have made a bad situation even worse for renters. This Government has turned a housing crisis into a housing disaster and now a social catastrophe.
“The rationale for the Government’s policy change doesn’t stand up. They say they want to boost supply to reduce rent prices. However, cities outside of Dublin have seen supply increase in the past year and, in Galway, for example, rents have risen by a whopping 18 per cent in that period.
“Rents have not come down; they have gone up – and all because this Government has given landlords carte blanche to increase them to whatever they want.
“The Social Democrats and other Opposition parties warned the Government this would happen. But they didn’t listen and now renters are left picking up the pieces.
“This Government must now act quickly to try to dull the hugely negative impact of their own rent hike laws. They must introduce a three-year ban on no-fault evictions, and a ban on rent increases, before prices go any higher.”
May 20, 2026