Donegal Pádraig Mac Lochlainn TD has called on the government to stand up for renters in Donegal amid continuous price increases.
The latest Daft.ie rental report for the first three months of 2022 shows that the average asking rent is up 22.7% in Donegal compared to this time last year.
“This is a crisis,” said Sinn Féin TD Pádraig Mac Lochlainn. “These shocking rent increases are not accompanied by similar hikes in wages and with the cost of living through the roof, people will struggle to meet these rises”.
The average monthly asking price for rent in the first three months of 2022 was €857 and even higher in larger towns around the county, exceeding €1,000 in many instances.
Deputy Mac Lochlainn said: “The government has refused to designate any area of Donegal as a Rent Pressure Zone so tenants in Donegal are left blowing in the wind. Rent prices are exploding in Donegal because rather than build public housing for over 10 years, government after government pushed families into the private rental market and now the lack of private rental accommodation across Donegal has created a classic supply and demand squeeze. And mostly young working families are paying the price”.
“The government must stand up for renters here in Donegal and ensure that rents are cut drastically, so that they are at levels that are affordable for people on ordinary incomes.
“We need a ban on rent increases on all existing and new tenancies, and we need the government to put money back in renters’ pockets through a refundable tax credit worth a month’s rent. Government must also accept that we need to see affordable cost rental delivered at scale. At least 4,000 units per year to meet affordable rental demand.”
