SINN Féin Kerry TD Pa Daly says the Government’s needs to ban rent increases on all existing and new tenancies, and to put money back in renters’ pockets through a refundable tax credit worth a month’s rent.

The TD was commenting on the latest rental report from Daft.ie, which shows that rents are continuing to rise across the State, with renters facing increases of 14.4% in Kerry at the end of 2021.

The average monthly asking rent in the last three months of 2021 in Kerry was €1,083.

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“The Daft.ie rental report for the last three months of 2021 shows that the average asking rent in Kerry is up 14.4%,” said Deputy Daly. “This is a phenomenal increase and is a massive additional cost for workers and families to bear; on top of rapid increases in household bills.”

“This latest Daft.ie report makes it clear that there is little or zero affordable rental supply in most parts of the State.

“The ban on local councils buying homes with HAP or RAS tenants in-situ where the landlord is selling up is also forcing families into homelessness while the properties are being sold to investment funds, who lease these same properties back to local authorities. This makes no social or economic sense.

“The government’s 2% rent cap is clearly not working. We need a ban on rent increases on all existing and new tenancies, and we need government to put money back in renters’ pockets through a refundable tax credit worth a month’s rent.

“Government must also accept that their social and affordable rental targets for 2022 are not sufficient and must be revised,” he concluded.