Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called the Government’s new rental policy a “shambles”, reports RTE.
The measures, outlined by Housing Minister James Browne and approved by Cabinet, include the continuation of Rent Pressure Zones for current tenancies, where rents will be tied to inflation.
Under the new plan, large landlords will no longer be allowed to issue no-fault evictions, reports RTE.
A new national rent control system will classify landlords, with large landlords defined as owning four or more properties.
Those who own three or fewer properties will be considered small landlords. The updated rules are expected to take effect starting 1 March next year.
Ms McDonald accused Taoiseach Micheál Martin of creating confusion around the changes, reports RTE.
“This is about making renters carry the can for your failures on housing,” she said, reports RTE.
Mr Martin described the new approach as a balanced effort aimed at protecting tenants while significantly boosting housing supply.
He accused Sinn Féin of making hollow statements and sticking to predictable, slogan-style announcements.
According to Mr Martin, Sinn Féin lacks concrete proposals to solve the housing crisis, reports RTE.
Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan also criticised the Government, saying tenants would be used as “sacrificial lambs” in what he described as a “dystopian future for renters”.
He went on to accuse Mr Martin of issuing “contradictory messages,” creating confusion, and turning housing policy into an “absolute shambles,” reports RTE.
Mr O’Callaghan questioned the mechanics of the rent cap plan, saying “new tenancies after March 2026 will be capped at CPI”, but raised concerns about whether there would be “a reset every six years.”
He said Mr Martin had not previously clarified the matter and asked for more clarity.
He also accused Housing Minister James Browne of risking renters’ well-being, and claimed the policy encourages landlords to “jack up rents substantially”, reports RTE.
“All existing tenants will not have their rents increased beyond 2%,” Mr Martin replied, repeating the point when responding again.
“Will you please now listen,” he said, reports RTE.
“After March 2026, rent on new-builds will be subject to a cap of the CPI,” Mr Martin said.
Ms McDonald had earlier argued that the changes would lead to higher rents for all during a time when the cost of living is already rising steeply, reports RTE.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, she questioned why the extension of Rent Pressure Zones wasn’t being implemented immediately.
“Rents will increase for everybody at some stage, more immediately for some renters, in a more staggered way for others,” she said, reports RTE.
She added: “I told the Taoiseach yesterday that we are willing to sit late and do what needs to be done in order to make sure this measure is implemented as soon as possible,” reports RTE.
Ms McDonald noted that many aspects of the plan are still vague and described it as something written on “the back of the envelope”.
“They couldn’t give me an answer in respect of short-term renters and people on fixed-term leases, like I’m thinking of, for example, students, many of whom rent term to term, year to year,” reports RTE.
She added that the reforms seem designed to “take the shackles off big funds who are already snapping up homes from under the noses of first-time buyers.”
“This is a strategy and a formula for higher rents, for greater hardship, for greater insecurity, and it is not the way to go,” she said, reports RTE.
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