Daft report shows Government need a reality check on housing
- Rents up 5.7% in 2024
- Limerick sees highest increase at 19%
Labour’s Housing Spokesperson Conor Sheehan TD has slammed the government’s failure to tackle the housing crisis following the publication of the latest Daft Report, which shows that advertised rents have risen by 5.7% in 2024.
Deputy Sheehan said:
“The figures published in the Daft Report confirm what report after report have told us – the private rental market in Ireland is utterly broken. Renters are under relentless financial pressure, and many live in constant fear of eviction, and Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have kicked this can down the road for long enough.
“I have heard from renters across Ireland who are terrified of eviction or struggling to find a place to live. The report also reveals that average rents nationwide are now 43% higher than pre-Covid levels, with my own Limerick experiencing the sharpest increase in the country at 19% over the past year.
“The government’s inaction is forcing people into crisis after crisis, yet there are choices that could be made today to protect renters and bring stability to the housing market.
“Labour has been calling for the implementation of measures to provide security and fairness for renters. We need to:
- Secure Homes – End no-fault evictions and stop evictions where a property is being sold. The practice of vacant possession must be abolished to prevent tenants from being forced out of their homes.
- Stronger Protections – Restrict evictions on the grounds of extended family use, limiting them to only spouses and children, with robust enforcement to prevent abuse of this loophole.
- Fair Rents – Introduce a national rent register to provide transparency on past tenancies, ensuring fairness and stopping landlords from hiking rents unfairly.
“The government cannot continue to turn a blind eye to this crisis. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have let the housing market spiral out of control, leaving renters to pay the price for their inaction. Labour is calling for immediate measures to provide renters with the security and affordability they deserve.
“The housing crisis is not inevitable—it is the result of political choices. We need an overhaul of Ireland’s broken rental system. Renters deserve secure, affordable homes, and Labour will fight to make that a reality.”