The Social Democrats today published their 10-point plan to make life better for renters in Ireland.
The Renters’ Charter was launched by Rory Hearne, the Social Democrats candidate in Dublin North-West, and Róisín Shortall, the party’s finance spokesperson.
The charter commits to building 25,000 affordable rental homes over a five-year period, with average rents in Dublin of €1,200 per month and €1,000 per month for the rest of the country.
In government, the party would introduce a three-year rent freeze and put an end to no-fault evictions. It would also create a rent register to clamp down on illegal rent increases.
Other proposed measures include a ban on vulture funds buying up existing houses and apartments; the enactment of legislation to make sex-for-rent a criminal office; and empowering gardaí to intervene in illegal evictions.
Speaking at today’s launch in Dublin, Rory Hearne said:
“What we are setting out today is a radical reset of housing policy to give renters protection, real security of tenure and rents that are affordable.
“In my constituency and across Dublin, we have seen a proliferation of high-rise unaffordable rental properties being built or bought up by institutional investors. This is all down to Government policy, specifically tax breaks for vulture funds, which we would abolish.
“Corporate institutional investors should be paying the same tax as other landlords do.
“We would also ban the bulk purchase of homes – including apartments – by wealthy investment funds.
“The 10 actions contained in our charter, if implemented, would give renters a real opportunity of living in an affordable lifetime home.”
Róisín Shortall said:
“Rent should be no more than one third of a person’s salary. However, the latest figures published by Daft.ie today lay bare the scale of the crisis facing renters.
“The average monthly rent in Ireland is now €1,955 – a staggering €23,460 a year. This represents half the net earnings of someone on the average income, which is a huge chunk of their salary.
“This situation is simply not sustainable. Our Renters’ Charter puts people before corporate interests and provides workable solutions to this aspect of our housing emergency.”
November 13, 2024
NOTE: you can read our Renters’ Charter in full here