Government's 'complete failure' to help Laois renters
Government action has been demanded to help Laois house renters by forcing a lowering of private rents.
Sinn Féin TD for Laois and Offaly Brian Stanley has criticised the Governement for it's "complete failure" to stop rent hikes.
“The latest annual hikes in rents of over 17% in Offaly and 14% in Laois underline the complete failure of the government in the past twelve and a half years to put realistic measures in place.”
“Rent on an average three bedroomed house in Laois now stands at a staggering €1,372 per month and in Offaly €1,399. This is totally unaffordable for those on ordinary salaries.
“People need a break from sky high rents now. It’s clear that Government has totally lost control of the housing market. Government has failed to deliver a sufficient volume of social and affordable homes," Dep Stanley said.
He says that there are no council affordable housing schemes in either county.
“The failure to restart affordable to purchase housing schemes across Laois/Offaly, along with the failure to provide even one cost rental home in the Constituency has exacerbated the problem. It removes the option for low to middle income households to purchase or rent at an affordable price. Schemes like this would also have a positive effect in terms of cooling house purchase and rental prices.
“Meanwhile, ordinary people in Laois and Offaly are left paying the price for Government’s failures. People are trapped paying out of control rents, or living in cramped accommodation while they watch their dream of home ownership continue to slip even further out of reach.
“Government urgently needs to adopt a different approach. They need to understand that unless we see the delivery of at least 12,000 social homes and a mix of 8,000 affordable to purchase and cost rental homes, this crisis will continue.
“Fine Gael has been in Government for 12 years. During that time rents in the State have increased by 155%. Fianna Fáil have been propping Fine Gael up for seven years. Since Fianna Fáil have had the housing ministry, rents have increased by 30%.
“Tinkering at the edges hasn’t worked and it is now time for decisive action by Government,” the Sinn Féin TD added.