Micheál Martin hits out at Govt over rental 'crisis' which Taoiseach blames on Fianna Fáil
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has been urged to immediately address spiraling residential rental market prices in response to revelations the cost of finding a home has now reached its highest ever recorded rate, .
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin insisted on fresh emergency steps to tackle the situation after the latest property market report found that average rents are up at least 12% since last year throughout Dublin and its sprawling commuter belt.
Speaking during the latest leaders questions debate in the Dáil, Mr Martin said that it is time to resolve the "crisis in the rental market" as the situation is leading to a breakdown in social cohesion and "exacerbating the homelessness crisis".
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Criticising what he said has been a failure to tackle the issue to date, he warned the "impact of this is quite stark".
Pointing to surging homelessness rates and the fact mortgage repayments now cost less than rent despite the fact mortgages are unattainable for many families, Mr Martin said the Government is failing to resolve the problem.
However, while acknowledging the situation, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told Mr Martin long-sought rent certainty measures may not be included in an upcoming plan to tackle the issue which is expected to focus on security for landlords and tenants, supply of homes and improving rental property standards.
Mr Kenny said: "There is no doubt this is a problem and is a serious problem", while he "accepts there is a huge pressure in the rental market now".
However, as Mr Martin attempted to blame the Government for what is happening, Mr Kenny responded the responsibility lies with the legacy of Fianna Fáil's time in power.
The Taoiseach said: "Priory Hall, pyrite, ghost estates, that's why it happened.
"We had a Tánaiste [during the Fianna Fáil era] who stood over here and said there would be no need for more taxes because housing construction was going to drive it," he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kenny has come under renewed pressure to scrap the Lansdowne Road public pay deal and replace it with a more progressive agreement.
Speaking during the same debate, Labour leader Brendan Howlin said the "industrial unrest" from teachers, gardaí and nurses shows the current deal is "no longer tenable".
However, Mr Kenny said while problems exist in the agreement it will remain in place, adding pointedly that ex-public expenditure minister Mr Howlin "seems to have reversed engines on this matter".
