LABOUR Party spokesperson on Housing Jan O’Sullivan has brought a bill before the Dáil aimed at tackling the housing shortage and ensuring a stable and functioning housing market.
The Social and Affordable Housing Bill 2016 includes measures to address key issues including affordability and supply, soaring rents and tenants’ rights, the hoarding of land by developers, as well as clamping down on the super profits of unregulated vulture funds operating here.
Deputy O’Sullivan told the Limerick Post that the bill contains a set of concrete measures to deal with the housing and homelessness crisis, and in particular the issue of spiralling rent.
“Recent figures from property website Daft.ie revealed how residential rents have soared across the country by 11.7 per cent year-on-year, in the third quarter of the year. This puts enormous pressure on renters and sadly as we’ve been seeing, is driving more and more people out of their homes and onto the streets.
“The Labour Party Bill would link rent to the consumer price index to ensure that rent increases remain affordable and related directly to the general cost of living. It also moves to further protect renters by prohibiting landlords from using the sale of the property as grounds for evicting tenants before their lease is up. There is considerable evidence that many of these homes remain vacant for years after being put up for sale,” she explained.
by Alan Jacques
