Plans To Give Tax Breaks To Landlords Slammed

Sinn Féin has slammed plans by the Environment Minister to give tax breaks to landlords.

Housing spokesperson Dessie Ellis said the proposals will not help renters who are at risk of losing their homes.

Mr Ellis said: "The problem with rents is caused by the very high demand for rented accommodation and the very low supply in comparison. Landlords feel they can ask for anything and will find someone desperate enough to pay it.

"The cost of renting a home in Dublin has gone up by 30-40% in the last few years so tax relief for landlords will only result in greater profit for those currently renting. If there were thousands of homes in Dublin not being rented because of poor returns and rising costs then this policy would make sense. This is not the case though.


"The solution to the unaffordable rents being demanded in Dublin is two pronged. Firstly we must immediately set down plans for rent controls to be put in place which would limit the ability of landlords to raise rents and tie these controls to the ability of people to pay for them as well as the quality of the accommodation.

"The government have refused to do this because they are more interested in the profit margins of landlords than stopping the flow of renters into homeless services.

"The second prong is to put major investment into building social housing. The government have claimed to be doing this but have actually only promised an extra €36 million annually over the next three years. Sinn Féin has called for immediate release of €1 billion from the Strategic Investment Fund which would build 6,600 houses and create jobs."

(CD/JP)