Opposition parties have cautioned that any attempt by the Government to alter rent caps will face fierce opposition, reminiscent of the backlash over water charges, reports The Mirror.
Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats, and People Before Profit plan to introduce a joint motion next month addressing the housing crisis, but declined on Monday to provide details about its contents.
The motion will coincide with a planned “Raise the Roof” protest, organised in opposition to the Government’s housing strategy, reports The Mirror.
Housing Minister James Browne was expected to present proposals on rent cap reform to Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris on Monday evening.
However, the Irish Mirror understands that no proposals will go to Cabinet on Tuesday, with the earliest potential decision now likely to be next week.
Earlier this year, Mr Martin suggested that Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) may be revised once the current legislation expires at the end of 2024, in an effort to boost rental market investment, reports The Mirror.
RPZs, introduced in 2016, currently limit rent increases to 2 per cent annually or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.
Despite this, Tánaiste Simon Harris pointed out that Fine Gael’s election manifesto pledged to maintain the RPZs.
Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin, has pledged that any effort to raise rent caps will be met with strong public opposition, reports The Mirror.
He said: “Any move by Government to allow landlords to increase the rent burden on tenants, a rent burden that is already far too high, will be strongly resisted not just by our political parties here and the Raise the Roof movement, but by thousands and thousands of people. Industry is looking for the caps to be raised. They’re looking for the caps to be waived in between tenancies,” reports The Mirror.
“The consequence of that will be at a time when average rents are already over €2,000 a month, rents [will] spiral ever upwards. It is not acceptable. Certainly for Sinn Féin’s part, we will oppose it and resist it tooth and nail. One of the reasons why the raise the roof rally and the joint action by the raise the roof political parties on June 17 is so important is because we want to give people an opportunity to get out and make it very, very clear, ever-rising rents and house prices is not acceptable. Ever-rising homelessness is not acceptable. Failing to meet crucial social and affordable housing targets is not acceptable,” reports The Mirror.
“Therefore, just as we’ve done in the past with the likes of rights to water, we will put pressure inside the Oireachtas and out to force the government to stand by renters and not heap extra pressure on them,” reports The Mirror.
Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats’ housing spokesperson, has also committed to strongly opposing any rent increases amid the housing crisis.
He described the situation as a “social catastrophe” and criticised the current Government’s housing record as worse than its predecessor’s.
Deputy Hearne added: “Now they’re talking about, and appears [they are] about to remove the one protection that renters have, rent caps, in the middle of an emergency. They are completely taking us off a cliff in terms of commencements, in terms of planning permissions,” reports The Mirror.
The opposition parties have yet to disclose the specific content of their motion, which is scheduled for debate in the Dáil on June 17.
According to the Irish Mirror, discussions on changes to RPZs will continue over the coming days, with no Cabinet memo expected before next Tuesday, reports The Mirror.
Minister Browne has held separate meetings with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to examine potential changes to RPZ legislation before it lapses at the end of the year.
Among the options under consideration are extending the legislation unchanged, increasing the allowed rent hike percentage, or removing rent caps altogether.
However, sources indicated there is no intention to “rush” the process, with the Minister and Government leaders wanting to ensure the best possible outcome, reports The Mirror.
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