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LABOUR OR SOCIAL Democrats? Which party is promising a three-year rent freeze, a ban on no-fault evictions and a clearer, more transparent rental market?
It’s both of them, actually.
Both parties were out in Dublin city centre today to announced their plans to provide renters with better rights in the wake of a damning report from Daft.ie.
Average rents are dramatically increasing all over the country and, with a dwindling supply, the expected price to pay for a property is almost €2,000 per month, according to today’s Rental Price Report.
Both parties said because the government has failed to get the private rental market under control, State intervention is needed.
Speaking to reports outside the building of real estate investor Kennedy Wilson, Social Democrats candidate for Dublin North-Central Rory Hearne said some institutional investors are taking part in “profit gouging” and that those rents are unfair.
Hearne, who is a lecturer in housing policy at Maynooth University, said many institutional investors see Ireland as a good place to do business and that the Social Democrats want them to invest in affordable housing instead.
Sinn Féin has also proposed a three-year rent freeze and a ban on no-fault evictions.
When it comes to how to regulate institutional investors in the housing market, Labour and the Social Democrats differ.
The Social Democrats are proposing an all-out ban on the bulk purchase of existing homes, claiming that the practice “locks out” first-time buyers. Hearne said the party also wants to increase the level of tax that the firms also pay on their rental income.
Meanwhile, Labour is proposing an increase on the stamp duty for the bulk-purchase of houses or apartments.
Labour’s Dublin South-Central candidate Darragh Moriarty said more landlords need to respect renters’ rights: “On [RTÉ] the other night, Paschal Donohoe said we need more landlords - I don’t disagree with that but we don’t need slumlords.
“We have to stop slumlords for being able to ride roughshod all over renters’ rights. And that’s why we think strong renters’ protection has to be front and center of any next government, whether we’re in it or not,” he added.
Both parties are promising to reinstate the no-fault eviction ban and try to incentivise the increase usage of the tenant-in-situ scheme, so that a resident can remain in the property while it is being sold to a new owner or the local authority.
Hearne said: “An introduction of a no-fault ban on evictions would mean that, as a renter, if you’re paying your rent, if you’re doing nothing wrong, you can stay in that home, and a landlord cannot evict you.
“This is a common measure across Europe, and we should meet our European countries and introduce this protection for renters.”
Both parties agree that the answer to the problem of high rents is in building up supply and Labour and the Social Democrats are promising to build 30,000 and 25,000 affordable homes over five years, respectively.
But controlling skyrocketing rents by disallowing increases and making the rental market more transparent in the short term must also be completed. Moriarty said that the sector needs to be professionalised.
“If you have a relationship with a tenant, it is a professional relationship and we need to have the standards professionalised,” Moriarty told journalists.
Moriarty said that the professionalisation of a tenant-landlord relationship will be further complemented by Labour’s new idea to introduce a Rent Register – which will detail the previous costs of leasing a property for better transparency.
The Social Democrats, similarly, propose a ‘Reference Rent’ system – where the price of properties in the same area and of the similar size and quality are publically listed on a database that pegs rent to the baseline price.
Both parties are also proposing tougher regulations on short-term lets.
The Social Democrats says this can be done by empowering local authorities to enforce planning rules while Labour wants tourist levies and a separate property register for holiday homes, under the control of Fáilte Ireland.
Today’s Daft.ie Rent Price Report found that the average rent around Ireland now stands at €1955 per month and that there is an urgent need to address the lack of supply in the private market.
Ronan Lyons, author of the report and an economist at Trinity College, said the government’s attention has been focused on owner-occupied homes and social housing and that the upswing in construction of rental accommodation in Dublin is “over”.
He said, if not addressed urgently, construction trends in the rest of Ireland are likely to mirror Dublin.
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2 cheeks of the same ar&e
@K O: a comparatively fine ar$e though
@Kevin Kerr: Ivana,,,, yuck
@K O: I mean metaphorical, same as your original comment
@Kevin Kerr: no brendan. Very strange comment.
They are like a Hale and Pace stretch – hilarious lol
@Paul M Doe: While Harris and Martin are more like Laurel and Hardy, and we all continuously scream….. that’s another fine mess you got us into!!!
Both parties are advocating for more illegal immigrants to be housed in Ireland. That surely must help.
@Thomas Sheridan: they will get nothing the traitors!!
@Thomas Sheridan: care to share that extract from their manifesto where they advocate to house more illegal immigrants? Or is it like Sinn Fein wanting to flood the country with Palestinians, ie BS?
@Thomas Sheridan: That point needs to be more widely broadcast, but it won’t.
The political cartel in Leinster House, which includes all the main parties, will promise all and change nothing!
@Brian Hunt: The Soviet Union being a socialist country with a command economy. The government owning most businesses, sets prices, and decides what to produce. Without price signals, Soviet planners have difficulty responding to shifts in consumer demand, resulting in frequent shortages. This includes housing.
@thomas molloy: The Soviet Union was neither Socialist nor Communist.
Socialism means the workers own and control their own businesses.
That was not the case in the Soviet Union.
@thomas molloy: You haven’t a Scooby what you yourself are on about. Absolute total manure of the highest degree :-)
Woke Central! They can do one down the sewer hole. Wokeness needs to stop!
@Buster Lawless: People worldwide are beginning to see through the Woke Cult, it’s clearly evident the Emperor has no clothes!
@Brian Hunt: people have had enough of.57 genders
The more and more this campaign goes on the more and more it looks like the Social Democrats and Labour should amalgamate because they aren’t fooling anyone.
@Brian D’Arcy: I mean quite a large percentage of Soc Dem candidates are formerly labour party members soooooooo
Sold one rental last November and will sell the other asap Have being a landlord for 20 years and these so call politicians haven’t got a clue
@Paul: you’re only selling because prices have risen and they well could be at their highest , you’ve been pocketing 2 rents for the last 20 years , ye old now and want to cash in !!
Pointless with both willing to go into government with Fine Gael and/or Fuanna Fáil. Sinn Féi are the only ones to fix this mess created by both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil along with Labour and the Greens. I’m still waiting to see the results of Labour’s biggest house building project from 2015.
@Brian D’Arcy: Sinn Féin promised to build 100,000 homes in the North a couple of years ago. They managed to deliver just under 3000 so far.
@honey badger: Now now, Honey Bouney.. not so fast. They pledged to build 100,000 houses over a 15 yr period. https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/news/hargey-sets-out-plans-deliver-over-100000-homes.
As for your other claim, According to the office of national statitics in the UK, the total number of new homes finished in NI last year(2023) was 5,380 alone. Not sure where you’re getting your figures(3,000) from ? There is also the issue of an “historic ” lack of funding in NI water infrastructure which has resulted in significant qcapacity issues affecting new developments . This underdeveloped has been a long standing qissue which pre dates the establishment of NI water in 2007. Now, fixed your comment for you.. you’re welcome Honey x
@Brian: So what you’re saying is, it’s Westminsters fault for lack of investment that SF are not hitting their targets? Always someone to blame isn’t there
@Ger Whelan: You’re more than happy to ignore the misinformation posted.. but want to address the Westminster bit. Which I’ll happily do Ger. I’m sorry to be the bearer of more facts, but the NI assembly gets an annual budget from Westminster. They have only the most minimal powers over borrowing and taxation.. so obviously infrastructure development of the scale that is required to upgrade a water system that has been neglected by Westminister for decades requires huge capital investment.. which leads us to where .. ? back to Westminster. Now as for missing targets .. I suggest you get back to me in 2036 to see if they missed their target of 100,000 homes.. cool ? Cool.
@Brian: So minimal budget and minimal powers, so basically it’s useless and a waste of taxpayers money. Thankfully it’s the Brits problem and not ours and long may it stay that way.
@Ger Whelan: Ger, yet again, you prove to be a very disingenuous poster to engage with.. enjoy all the misinformation you lap up.
https://factcheckni.org/articles/housing-in-northern-ireland-is-housebuilding-at-a-sixty-year-low/
So, the shinners are presiding over the lowest rate of house builds in 60 years? Your figure includes private builds. Mine didn’t. ” not so fast” indeed!
@honey badger: Now now, Honey
. Let’s not play silly beggars again.. Your comment.. which is there for all to see states nothing about private/ social housing. Nor, and most importantly, does it include that these are targets for 2036 .. you’re just trying to rewrite your comment and move the goal posts..you’ve been caught once again Honey. Now had you cited that 1st we could have had a reasonable conversation as to why that is.. but you’re always in such a giddy rush to spread misinformation about SF you forget yourself. Don’t worry I’m here to help Honey x
@Brian: you literally said they have a minimal budget, minimal powers over borrowing and taxation, which leads to the neglecting of infrastructure. You’re words not mine. So basically Westminster is the one who controls the north and Stormont is about as useful as a chocolate fire guard. You can try to dress it up how you like it won’t wash
@Brian: Nope! I said SF promised to deliver 100,000 houses. They’ve managed just under 3000. I’ve shared the facts. I even helped clarify where you went wrong with a fact check article – lowest housing output in 60 years from Sinn Fein!
I won’t be indulging your convoluted logic again. Take your genius idea from last night: You said I supported the Trump regime because I use twitter. Desperate squirming from you. Again. Give it up lad. ;)
@honey badger: Such a poor poor effort at deflecting Honey.. Yes, I said you were supporting the Trump regime by using his BFFs, play toy twitter.. which i stand by.. but your too ignorant to realise it my friend. Which is where you also get these Imaginary Mary Lou stories you never post links to.. funny that. You’re well and truly in the cesspit there Honey and you’re bringing all the auld dirty Dump tricks of misinformation over here. Clasay stuff. Your comment lacked accurate content and context.. but then again all your comments do. As I say, I’m here to help Honey. X
@Brian: Are you for real? You actually believe that by using Twitter he supports Trump’s regime?. No Brian I’m not on Twitter myself but a quick Google search tells me SF has an official twitter account, as does both Mary Lou, and Michelle O’Neill, all 3 of which are active and updated daily. So are they all supporting Trump’s regime?.
@Ger Whelan: Yes Ger, that’s what I said in regards to thier control over borrowing and taxation. You just went off on that tangent.. because the figures that were posted by the bauld Honey neglected to mention that the promise of 100,000 houses was over 15 years.. I added the context of the difficulties that both parties in Government are facing, not just SF, in the North if that’s alright with you.. if you don’t like facts or context, don’t engage Ger.. it’s that easy.
@Brian: You still haven’t corrected anything I stated. Sinn Fein have delivered less than 3000 of their promised 100,000 houses. They are standing over the lowest rate of house building in 60 years in NI. That’s all that matters. That’s all that’s relevant here. Your rambling gummy diatribes are dreadfully boring, too. Eejit.
@Ger Whelan: just because Stormont has minimal borrowing and taxation powers does not mean that it is a waste of tax payers money and as useful as a chocolate fire guard – your words. It is a devolved government that has comparatively less powers than a normal state government, but has powers nonetheless in functions such as health, education, justice and agriculture where it devises policy and allocates resources accordingly. You may remember when this devolved government was created, the reasons behind it, and what came before
@Ger Whelan: Yes, I believe that Ger. When you use somebody’s platform/product.. I believe you’re supporting the owner of that platform. That’s a fairly obvious conclusion to draw.. and having spent 100 million to put himself at the seat of Dumps table.. it’s not a massive leap,for me, that supporting Musk and his cesspit platform is support for the regime. I apply that to all users.. Thats my take on it Ger. Don’t let it upset you.. lol
@honey badger: They promised 100,000 houses in 15 years Honey.. you can squirm all you want, but it won’t change that fact you tried to misrepresent that fact.. your personal attacks are really not helping your cause here. Smell of desperation of you Honey. Still that’s how they do things in twitter I guess…
@Brian: it doesn’t upset me at all. So we agree SF are Trump supporters because they use twitter. You clearly support SF, so by supporting SF who support Trump via Twitter usage you defacto support Trump, through your support of SF.
@Brian: I do like facts. The simple fact is SF made promises on things they cannot control and if/when they can’t deliver on said promise’s they’ll blame others. And if building 5380 houses in 2023 is a big number like you think with their minimal budget then they are on course to miss out on building 100k houses in 15 years. With the state of the UK economy and the cuts made in the last budget Northern Ireland won’t be getting any additional funding any time soon. So tell Michelle best not to make promises on spending when you don’t control the purse
@Kevin Kerr: without control of the purse strings, they can’t make effective policies on Health, education etc as they cannot guarantee the finances to enable said policies. They can’t even get financing to build a stadium FFS.
@Ger Whelan: it is challenging, but no country has any certainty on the amount of its future tax receipts. And of course this does not mean that the work of the executive is a waste of tax payers money
@Kevin Kerr: if you say so Kevin. But since 2002 the Assembly has collapsed 3 times, a combined total of roughly 10-11 years where the assembly wasn’t able to sit and Govern the country. The country’s education, health, justice etc all kept functioning. Tell me Kevin how many democratic countries do you think could survive without a government for 10 – 11 years over a 22 year period?. So yes I think it’s useless and when it wasn’t there the country still functioned
@Ger Whelan: but Northern Ireland isn’t a democratic country, it is part of the UK and operates a devolved government. Of course there have been serious issues since it was established, but the alternatives are either direct rule, reunification or independence. You can’t compare it to a democratic country without giving any context to how it was formed, how it operates and the cross community consensus that it seeks to establish
@Kevin Kerr: Fact remains with the assembly the country didn’t collapse. If the country can survive 10-11 years without an assembly then the assembly is useless
@Ger Whelan: Few more facts Ger..House completions since 2021 – 7,416 units, 2022 – 6,838 units ,2023 – 5,373 units.. and so far this year(2024) only 2,778. Take the 1st 3 years completions average figure, multiply by 15 and you get 98,00 homes.. pretty much on target. Obviously something has drastically slowed this down. I merely provided context as to what.. and its not SF saying this, its the comptroller and auditor general of the Northern Ireland Office.Ultimately Ger, my point was and still is, holding up SFs record in housing in the North as to possible future performance in the South is disingenuous in the extreme and comes with a host of caveats that agenda driven driveler’s, like Honey, would have one ignore.
@Ger Whelan: no Ger, all that does is say that it is not a national assembly, but a devolved one. Obviously if NI was to become an independent state, then its democratic institutions would change accordingly
@honey badger: There is no comparison between the government of the Republic of Ireland and the power sharing Executive that operates in Northern Ireland.. get over that fact and your comments may have some validity. Keep regurgitating the same manure and you will come up with the same smell.
@Brian D’Arcy: U should get out more
These two phoneys can’t wait to get their ar&es into ministerial cars, independents all the way
Labour my eye, been there done that never again..
Vote 1 The Monk.Free rent and accomadation in Alicante.
@Willie Marty: Shouldn’t that be Mountjoy?
Irish freedom party
@N D K: Brought to us by the Russian Tyrant.
” No involvement” is the quote from Gerry on the subject of the Troubles. It’s no wonder that the Shinners have difficulty in dealing with current issues of child abuse.
@D Farrell: What was FF and FG excuse for covering up decades of child abuse in this country?
@Ger Whelan: In the last 12 months, the PSNI charged a senior member of Sinn Fein with being actively involved in abuse. He is now in prison. SF should correct the Dail record of the glowing tribute and character reference given to him when “stepping down.” Unless, as I said, SF has no moral compass, just like Gerry.
I don’t understand why rents are rising, after all landlords are not greedy!
@Padraig O’Brien: True. Putting your life savings into providing a house for strangers is a public benefit action.
2 of the most irrelevant parties ever
Never forget how labour stabbed the people in the back last time they got their snouts in the trough, they will never get a vote from me again, not even a transfer
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