An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-27
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Mary Lou McDonald (SF), Dublin Central

What does the Government have against renters? Its new legislation guts rent pressure zones and allows rents to be reset to full market levels between tenancies. From 1 March, this will have the effect of driving rents even higher. Who demanded the introduction of the Bill that has been brought forward? It was not renters, who are drowning under record rents, or small or medium-sized landlords. The Bill was written for one group only, namely the vulture funds and corporate landlords that are gouging renters month after month and charging €2,500 or €3,500 for very ordinary homes. From March, new tenants will be hit first. Students will then be hit. Year by year, increasing numbers of renters will be forced into paying uncapped market rents. The Residential Tenancies Board has indicated that one quarter of tenancies turn over every year. This means that means that within a few short years most renters will be paying full market rents and that rents will soar. This is the Government's choice. Can the Taoiseach accept that its legislation will increase rents for new tenants and, over time, for the majority of tenants?

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-27/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:01+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-27