RENTERS ARE BEING ‘gaslit’ by Housing Minister James Browne, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said.

Rounding on the Taoiseach on the issue of housing during Leaders’ Questions, the Sinn Féin leader told Martin bluntly: “I want you to stop screwing it up.”

She said the housing minister had said that the rent pressure zone regulations has stifled investment, but has also promised to protect renters. 

McDonald said the minister is “gaslighting renters”, stating that it is “not possible” to do both things at the same time. 

The minister has received a report from the Housing Agency, which includes a review of the rental sector, and that he is studying the recommendations it contains. 

It is understood the minister is considering the paper and the options presented in it about the future of RPZs, with changes to the regulations set to be announced shortly.

Rent caps 

Some of the measures under consideration is understood to be the lifting of rent caps for  new build apartment blocks, with new tenancies, on developments on brownfield sites.

There is also speculation that those in existing tenancies will see their rents stay within the RPZ rule, which allows for a 2% increase every two years.

However, if a tenancy ends, landlords could have an option of increasing the rent for the new tenant above the 2%. 

Speaking to The Journal earlier this month, Browne said he understood the fears of renters, stating that it is the reason he wants to make and announce a decision on the changes relatively quickly. 

Speaking in the Dáil, McDonald asked the Taoiseach if the government will be “caving to vulture funds and allowing them to charge what they like”.

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While McDonald mentioned yesterday’s Daft.ie report, which found that rental prices are at a 20-year-high, with the average Dublin rent standing at €2,540, Martin said the Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) is the index he pays attention to.

In May, it showed a national average of €1,680 per month for new tenancies, reflecting a 5.5% increase over the previous year. 

He acknowledged that rents are high, stating that supply is the issue, and private investment is needed. 

Martin accused the opposition of being bereft of ideas on housing. 

She said society is “numbed” to the government’s failure, and they are voting with their feet and emigrating. 

The Taoiseach said the highest level of social housing has been delivered by this government in the last twenty years, but added that institutional investment is needed to supplement public investment.