Resistance to rent cap change would be like water charge campaign, Ó Broin says

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

Resistance to an easing of rent caps has been likened to opposition against water charges by Sinn Féin’s housing spokesman.

Eoin Ó Broin said the “do-nothing Government is letting people down” as he called for emergency action on housing.

It comes after the four political parties involved in the “Raise the Roof” housing campaign – Sinn Féin, Social Democrats, Labour and People Before Profit-Solidarity – announced a protest outside Leinster House next month.

Raise the Roof, which is a trade union and civil society campaign, has been involved in several demonstrations since 2018.

The next protest is scheduled from 6pm on June 17th and will coincide with a private member’s motion on the housing crisis.

At a joint media opportunity on Monday, Mr Ó Broin said: “There is a growing anger and growing frustration at a Government that has completely abandoned communities, abandoned people in housing need, abandoned people in need of affordable childcare, abandoned people in need of vital supports for children with special needs or people accessing education or healthcare.

“And at the centre of that is an ever-deepening housing crisis.”

Asked how opposition parties would counter any move by the Government to reduce protections for tenants under Rent Pressure Zones, Mr O Broin said: “Any move by Government to allow landlords to increase the rent burden on tenants – a rent burden that is already far too high – will be strongly resisted not just by our political parties here and the Raise the Roof movement, but I think by thousands and thousands of people.

“Industry is looking for the caps to be raised, they’re looking for the caps to be waived in between tenancies, and they’re also looking for the caps not to apply, not just to new rental stock but new rental stock over a period of time.

“The consequence of that will be – at a time when average rent is already over 2,000 euro a month – for rents to spiral ever upwards.”

He said that would be “unacceptable” and added: “Just as we’ve done in the past with the likes of Right to Water, we will put pressure inside the Oireachtas and without to force the Government to stand by renters and not heap extra pressure on them – and that will be one of the key actions on the 17th.

Attempts to introduce metered water charges as part of the bailout programme were abandoned in 2017 after numerous mass protests.

Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne said the housing crisis has deepened into a “social catastrophe” and disaster”.

He said his party would be “actively and vociferously” opposing any attempt to remove rent caps.

Mr Hearne said: “We need a change of direction and emergency action on building social and affordable housing on a huge scale.”

Labour TD Marie Sherlock said there was a need for “radical change” in housing delivery, adding: “The level of despair out there is absolutely incredible; a degree of fatalism that housing will not be fixed in this country – and it has to be.”

People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy said: “In 2016, when we had the general election, you had just over 5,000 people in emergency accommodation.

“By the time of (the) 2020 general election, we were up to just over 10,000 people and by the time of the general election just gone, we were at about 15,000 people in emergency accommodation.

“Over the course of that time, rents have doubled and house prices are at an all time high.

“If we continue in the way we are going, by the time of the next general election we will have well over 20,000 people in emergency accommodation in this country, rents will have risen by another 40% or so – and house prices will be just so out of reach for ordinary people.”

He added: “We simply cannot wait until the next general election, we know what direction that this Government is pointing in: It is a government for landlords, by landlords – and for developers.”

Mr Murphy, who was involved in the protests against water charges, called for the declaration of a housing emergency and added: “We need to act. That means pivoting away from reliance on the private sector, reliance on the market to deliver housing and instead for a much, much greater role of the State.”

Asked for details of what would be included in the motion, the representatives said that would be announced at a later date.