Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-02-12
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John Cummins (FG), Waterford

I thank the Senators for their contributions on the Bill today. We can all agree that a well-functioning rental market is key to individuals and families in all our areas and constituencies. The rental sector has grown considerably over the last few decades and we need to grow it further in light of the continuing increases in the population and the demand for housing. Through this Bill, the Government is establishing a more robust legal and policy framework to support increased investment in the rental sector to increase supply and choice for renters, which over time, coupled with our significant investment in the likes of cost rental, will reduce rents. The Bill aims to enhance the legal framework to support domestic and international investment in new rental properties, in particular, the supply of new apartments.
The private rental sector review, published in July 2024, highlighted the need to improve certain aspects of rent regulation as did the Housing Commission, which is often cited by Members of the Opposition. As a result, the Housing Agency was requested to undertake a review of RPZs and its Review of Rent Pressure Zones and Consideration of Potential Policy Options for Rent Controls in the Private Rented Sector was published by the agency in June 2025. A key focus of the review was to examine the impact of RPZs on the rental market and to make recommendations on whether rent controls should be removed, modified or amended. The Housing Agency report recommended that the existing system of rent controls be modified with the introduction of a national system of rent controls allowing rental prices to adjust with inflation within a tenancy, and for rent resetting between tenancies to reflect market rents, with enhanced tenancy security measures to protect against economic evictions. That is exactly what we are doing with this Bill.
The review involved extensive engagement with a wide variety of stakeholders, including investors, representatives of landlord and tenant advocacy groups, academics and the Residential Tenancies Board. The review involved an extensive analysis of domestic and international research on rent regulation. From the review, it is clear that areas covered by RPZs had significantly lower rent increases than those outside of RPZ areas. As the House knows, we have already moved to introduce an extension of those RPZs and the Bill provides for national rent control.
It is important to point out that the review suggested that there was a negative supply impact linked to the 2021 tightening of the RPZ rent controls including the imposition of a real price cut when inflation exceeds 2%, which correlated with an increase in the supply of homes for sale and a decline of rental registrations.
The review also noted international research on rent control, which suggests that controlled rents deliver a considerable price reduction to sitting tenants. However, they might not significantly improve affordability. Tenants might have faced higher rents upon tenancy commencement in new rental accommodation with the rent increase restriction priced into the initial rent set. Over time, reduced supply is likely to see higher rents impact on tenant mobility. There is also the risk that landlords will not make the necessary investment in maintenance and refurbishment. The review also identified that Ireland's current RPZ system appears to be severe for two reasons. First, it set the rent cap at 2% or rate of inflation, whichever was lower, meaning that rent increases could not keep pace with inflation and, second, it did not allow for resetting of rents to market rent after a tenancy ended. The linking of rent regulation to a property rather than a tenancy, as is the case with RPZs, is viewed as a more stringent system of rent control. The review highlighted that RPZ reform could incentivise investment and would likely have a positive effect on supply. It also noted other factors such as interest rates and measures to support viability that the Government was actively considering during the period of the review and that have subsequently been introduced, such as the VAT cut for apartments announced in budget 2026. This is why, at a meeting on 10 June 2025 the Government approved new policy measures to provide for the enhancement of rent controls and tenancy protections from 1 March this year.
The stronger tenancy protections will provide further improvements in security of tenure, contrary to what Members have suggested in their contributions. The rental sector provides homes for a significant proportion of the population. We need to give people more certainty, stability and confidence that their tenancy will not be ended.
Under the new reforms, all landlords will continue to have the option to sell with their tenants in situ at any time, with specific provisions for smaller landlords, that is, those with three or fewer tenancies, that allow more flexibility in recognition of family realities that may be faced by the owners of those rental properties. To stimulate investment and keep existing landlords in the market, the resetting of rents to market value for new tenancies created after 1 March this year will be allowed as part of the reform of rent controls. By allowing rent resetting for new tenancies from 1 March, existing and new landlords, who are vital for the sector, will be able to ensure that their investment remains viable. Importantly, however, rent resetting cannot apply where the most recent tenancy ended through a no-fault eviction.
A point that has not received much coverage is the fact that rent resetting also allows for landlords to charge lower rents for long-term tenants in the knowledge that they will be able to reset to market rent at the conclusion of a tenancy, which was not the case under the previous legislation where such a practice was effectively penalised. Rent resetting will be also be allowed at the end of each six-year period of a long-standing tenancy that commenced on or after 1 March 2026.
Given the critical need to attract investment in new apartment development for the rental market, rent increases for apartments, subject to both a commencement notice and a certificate of compliance on completion under building control regulations on or after 10 June 2025, will be linked to the rate of inflation as per CPI without the application of the 2% cap. These reforms aim to encourage investment in, and the development of, new housing supply, including new rental apartments. We are seeing some evidence of increased confidence in investment in the sector since the announcement of these measures last June.
In line with the commitment in the programme for Government and a recommendation of the Housing Commission, the Bill provides for a rent price register as set out by the Minister in his introduction. The RTB’s published register will include the rent amount and other relevant tenancy information such as the floor area, number of bedrooms and bed spaces and BER of the dwelling. The aim is for rent information available through the published register to support landlords to set lawful rents and to help prospective tenants to assess the prevailing rents in their area.
The Government has committed to providing a stable and predictable rental sector to attract and retain the private investment needed to meet housing demand. The impact of the current rent control system on the supply of new homes for rent has informed the development of this Bill. Its provisions aim to attract more investment into the rental sector as soon as possible, which is vital, not in place of State investment as some have suggested, but in addition to it. We all know that more than €20 billion is required every year to ensure we can increase supply. This year, the State will provide up to €9 billion but it cannot do everything. We require private investment in both the rental sector and in the supply of homes going forward. If we cannot acknowledge that, we are burying our heads in the sand. Increasing the supply of private rental accommodation is crucial to meeting the housing needs of the public and improving rent affordability. Rent controls are a key protection while housing demand is greater than housing supply.
I wish to touch on some comments Senators have raised. One in particular referred to a rent freeze, which is often put out there as a soundbite. It sounds great in theory but we do not have to look too far away for an example. We can look to Berlin, where the government tried this. What happened was that within 12 months, there was a 50% reduction in rental supply and the supreme court ruled it unconstitutional. I did not make that up. They are the facts. Yet, it is touted as the panacea to the challenges we face. We need to be real with the public and be honest when we are making proposals. There is dishonesty in the argument that is put forward in that respect.
As a Government, we will continue to invest in the supply of homes. I mentioned €9 billion. Our housing plan will deliver 72,000 social homes and 90,000 starter homes supports over the course of the plan. We will continue to increase the investment in the supply of housing because we acknowledge that it is the defining issue of my generation and all generations in the time ahead.
I thank Senators for their contributions. I commend the Bill and look forward to being in the Chamber next week to debate it further.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-02-12/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:37+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-12