There are just 64 properties to rent in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities combined – but 225 on Airbnb in Galway city alone
Double digit increases in rent, and an unprecedented 77pc collapse in rental supply, are further indictments of the government’s handling of the housing crisis, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan.
“The latest Daft.ie report makes for grim reading. Average new rents across the country are now nearly €1,600 – more than twice their Celtic Tiger peak. Meanwhile, rental supply has fallen by an unprecedented 77pc year-on-year. The housing crisis is clearly getting worse under this government, not better.
“According to Daft.ie, on May 1, there were just 64 properties available to rent in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities combined – an historic low. Meanwhile, in Galway city alone, there are currently 225 entire properties available for short-term lets on Airbnb. By contrast, just five planning permissions for short-term lets have been issued by Galway City Council.
“The Housing Minister recently suggested that further regulations, restricting short term lets, were on the way. Where are they? The Minister should also be aware that regulations, in the absence of enforcement, are not worth the paper they are written on. It was recently revealed that just 15 counties are doing anything to enforce short-term lets.
“Average new rents in Dublin are now €2,100 – requiring a salary of at least €70,000 per annum to be affordable. Across the rest of the country, rents are also surging – reaching €1,600 in Cork; €1,585 in Galway; €1,485 in Limerick and €1,262 in Waterford.
“Renters are now in despair. For years, they have listened to promises from successive governments to resolve the rental crisis. Instead, that crisis has gotten worse. The Minister’s plan is demonstrably not working. The question now is, what is he going to do about it?”
12 May, 2022
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