Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

On information from the Government, the latest figures from the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, show rents have increased by an average of 9% across the country. The increase is much higher in some areas. The average rent in Dublin is now almost €2,000 per month, or almost €24,000 per year. As the Taoiseach knows, a significant number of people renting are in low-paid or minimum-wage jobs. Annual rents in Dublin are now in excess of the gross annual earnings of people in minimum-wage jobs. They are utterly unaffordable. The number of people becoming homeless is increasing month after month. This is mainly a result of unaffordable rents in the private rental sector. The Government was not even remotely close to meeting the targets it set for the delivery of social, affordable and cost-rental homes last year. Does the Taoiseach honestly think people will be able to continue to afford these unaffordable rents, let alone the hefty rent increases? What action is the Government going to take to stop these rent increases?

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