Culture
16 Dec 16

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil agree on rent strategy

After a day that saw the parties clash over Minister for Housing Simon Coveney's plan to place a 4% ceiling on rent hikes, a deal has finally been made.

Tempers flared in the Dáil on Thursday as discussion of the Housing Minister's proposed strategy to cap rent increases in 'rent pressure zones' at 4% annually was continually pushed towards the end of the day.

The proposal faced objection from Micheál Martin's party, who argued that the cap on rent increases should be lower and that the number of areas designated as pressure zones should be increased.

So far the cap will only apply to Dublin and Cork, but Coveney conceded that research will be undertaken to evaluate the eligibility of cities like Waterford, Limerick and Galway – and commuter belt areas like Meath, Kildare, Wicklow and Louth – to also be designated as pressure zones in the new year. There was, however, no concession to lowering the cap to 2% as proposed by Fianna Fáil housing spokesman, Barry Cowen.

The proposed legislation also faced opposition from Sinn Fein, who alerted the Government to a drafting error that would have allowed for annual increases of up to 8%, necessitating an emergency amendment to allow for the mistake.

The success of the legislation is being seen as a coup for Coveney and his party, who have faced much resistance from Fianna Fáil since entering into a minority government this past February.

It also comes on a day when all eyes are on the housing crisis as the protest coalition 'Home Sweet Home' – which includes Irish musicians like Hozier, Liam O Maonlaí, Glen Hansard and Damien Dempsey – took over a vacant NAMA building in the city centre and opened it to the homeless.