10 May 2016
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Anti Austerity Alliance TD Mick Barry this morning said that the mild rent control measures introduced by the Fine Gael/Labour Government last year are not working and that far stronger rent control measures are needed now in the immediate short term.
His comments came as a new report was issued by daft.ie showing national average rents to have risen to above 1,000 euro per month for the first time since the property crash.
The Cork North Central TD made the comments as the highest rent spike in the country was reported to be in Cork city where rents have risen year on year by 16%.
He said: “It is becoming clearer by the day that the very mild rent control measures introduced by Alan Kelly when Minister in the Fine Gael/Labour Government last year are failing to slow the relentless rise in rent rates. Far stronger rent control measures are needed now in the immediate short term while issues relating to the supply of houses are being addressed.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Barry criticised the new Programme for Government for indicating a 2-year wait before NAMA is asked to deliver significant increases in the supply of affordable housing.
He said: “The Programme for Government talks in terms of a NAMA initiative to increase the supply of affordable housing in 2018. But there is a housing emergency now in 2016 and a massive increase in the supply of affordable housing from NAMA is needed now. In fact, what needs to be done now is to transform NAMA into an affordable housing agency with a remit to prioritise the supply of good quality housing at reasonable rates.”
