Rent Pressure Zones not enough as families squeezed by high rents in Dundalk, says local TD

A Dundalk TD has said that families are “being crippled” by the high rents in Louth and called for more council and affordable houses to be built.

Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Murchú said that the high cost of rents alongside competing with workers in foreign direct investment companies were issues for Dundalk families.

Deputy Ó Murchú said that the current rent pressure zone restrictions were not enough, speaking during a debate in the Dáil on the Residential Tenancies Bill.

“‘We are all aware that the rent pressure zone protections are not providing the protection required,” said Deputy Ó Murchú.

“In the town of Dundalk and throughout County Louth, people are very lucky if they are paying only €1,000 per month for a regular house. Usually, it is €1,200, €1,400, €1,600 or more.

“Such sums are completely beyond the means of an awful lot of families. They are competing against people who come to the area to work in some of the foreign direct investment factories in Dundalk.

“These are all to be welcomed but the fact is that there is just not a sufficient supply. That is the problem.”

Deputy Ó Murchú called for more council houses to be built alongside more affordable cost rental properties, saying that the government had failed to supply housing over the last several years.

“We all know what we need. We need council houses to be built. We need affordable mortgages and we need affordable cost rental. We probably need less conversation and more delivery.

“Delivery means building on public land and getting the best bang for our buck

possible.”

He also called for a rent cap to be introduced for the next three years alongside a rent rebate worth one month’s rent.