Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The RTB report showed an increase of 9.5% in the last year for existing tenancies in County Roscommon, and 8.8% for new tenancies. In County Galway the increase for new tenancies is 13.5% and 4.3% for existing tenancies. As many colleagues have said, there is nowhere to rent. The worst thing is that when someone comes to us who has an eviction notice that there is literally nowhere for them to go. There are zero properties to rent in Ballinasloe, zero in Castlerea, one in Ballaghadereen, two in Strokestown, and one in Roscommon town.

The Minister's response earlier this evening will do absolutely nothing. Talk about cold comfort. It is as if he spent most of his time working out how many pages and how many points we had written down. Renters could not care less about that. What they care about is a ban on rent increases for three years that would give them security and certainty - for their children, for older people renting and for people renting who have additional needs - as they are under huge pressure. The Government has no message for them this evening.

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