NEW figures paint a bleak picture for Limerick people living in rented accommodation with rental inflation for the year to March 2016 increasing by 12.7 per cent.
Responding to the latest quarterly rental report from the daft.ie property website, Limerick Sinn Féin TD Maurice Quinlivan, who is a member of the Dáil Housing and Homeless Committee, called on the government to declare a housing emergency and implement a number of immediate measures to tackle soaring rents across the State, but especially in Limerick.
“This report states that rent continue to rise and at the same time availability vanishes. For the first time since the second quarter of May 2008, the average rent across the state is above €1,000, standing at €1,006,” Deputy Quinlivan pointed out.
“In Limerick, the picture is even bleaker for renters, with rental inflation for the year to March 2016 increasing by a massive 12.7 per cent.”
According to Deputy Quinlivan, these massive increases in rents combined with a severe shortage of properties available are also a huge concern. This, combined with the abject failure of the previous Government to build social and affordable homes, is the root cause of the present housing crisis.
“The draft programme for government did not reference any form of rent certainty or rent controls as being viable tools to provide some security for tenants.”
The Limerick politician insists that new Housing Minister, Simon Coveney must revisit this omission and introduce real rent certainty as a matter of urgency.
“Rent increases and decreases must be linked to the Consumer Price Index and housing assistance payment rates in Limerick must be adjusted in line with current market rents.
“The Government’s recent housing plan ‘Social Housing Strategy 2020’, which is based on delivery of 100,000 homes, 80 per cent of which was to be delivered by private market, now lies in tatters,” Deputy Quinlivan declared.
by Alan Jacques
