Council rent increases
Deputy Murphy objects to proposed large council rent rises in South Dublin and elsewhere, saying families cannot absorb the cost-of-living hit. The Tánaiste says rent-setting is for local authorities, though he insists fairness and social housing responsibilities matter.
I have just received notice of what will be proposed for a massive increase in council rent in South Dublin County Council. It is looking to increase the basic rate of council rent by 25%. It will mean thousands of euro extra per year for many families at a time of a cost-of-living crisis that people simply will not be able to afford. It is not just South Dublin County Council. We have seen this in Dublin City Council where rents have been increased by almost 30% - there is huge resistance and opposition to that - and it has happened in other councils across the country. This is not happening just accidentally in multiple places across the country; it is coming from the Government. Looking at the programme for Government and the Housing Commission report, there are references to merging social and cost-rental housing over time, and this new report from the Department of housing talks about changes to facilitate closer alignment with market rent. In other words, get rid of social housing, effectively, and have people paying these completely unaffordable rates. How are people meant to be able to afford massive increases in their rents at a time of a cost-of-living crisis?
Comment on this
As the Deputy knows, the setting of rents is a matter for each local authority, quite rightly. We either believe in local democracy or we do not. We fund it well enough. We have set it up well enough. We have councillors elected right across the country and there are chief executives. It is up to each local authority to decide their situation.
There is also a need for fairness in relation to rent. We provide a lot of social housing in this country and there is a need to make sure people are paying a fair rent as well. That is an important part of the social contract. There are many people looking for a home and trying to buy a home. There are many people in private rental accommodation. There are many people who have scraped and saved to buy their own home too. There is a need for fairness and if there are some rents local authorities do not believe meet that fairness test, there is a case to make sure they are set at an appropriate rate.