Rent Pressure Zones could be in place across country by Friday, Dáil told
Rent Pressure Zones
(RPZs) to the entire country could be in place by Friday if the President signs the legislation immediately after the Oireachtas passes it, the
Dáil
has heard.
Minister of State for Housing Christopher O'Sullivan said the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill is an 'immediate and concrete protection against high rent inflation'.
The controversial legislation is being rushed through both Houses replacing scheduled proceedings as an interim measure to 'quickly protect all tenants from high rent increases'.
The Opposition supported the legislation, despite intense criticism of the Government's 'ramshackle, haphazard' and 'back-of-the-envelope' reform proposals.
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Thousands of holiday lets will need planning permission due to Rent Pressure Zone changes
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The legislation was passed in the Dáil on Wednesday and goes to the Seanad on Thursday. Mr O'Sullivan said that 'from the day after the passing of this Bill' with 'enactment by
President Higgins
' no rent increase across the country can exceed 2 per cent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower, with certain exceptions.
'This is an immediate and concrete protection against high rent inflation,' he said.
'We want to provide certainty, clarity and stability for the rental sector,' he said. The new policy measures announced last week to apply from next March aim to boost investment in the supply of homes.
Legislation will be introduced later this year to give effect to reforms announced last week which will apply from March 2026 when rents for new tenancies can be set at market value.
But Sinn Féin housing spokesman
Eoin Ó Broin
described the Government's proposals as an 'utter shambles' and 'an assault on renters' who will be the losers. He hit out at the 'haphazard, ramshackle, back-of-the-envelope process' for widespread reforms that will affect 'tens of thousands of people'.
Mr Ó Broin said that 'in the best-case scenario' there will only be 'a modest increase in the levels of institutional investment in high-end, high-cost, private rental cost developments'.
'The consequence of this is that renters everywhere will pay a cost,' because '80 per cent of current renters are in tenancies of six months or less' and 'the idea that somehow existing renters are protected is simply not true'.
Labour spokesman Conor Sheehan who called for a two-year rent freeze, said the Government's measures 'will, in the round, cause rents to increase again'.
The proposals last week 'very nearly caused a run on the rental market'. He added it is 'very clear what the priority is here because investors will not be negatively impacted by these changes but renters will'.
Under the proposals 'we will return to a situation in this country whereby people will be evicted from their properties because they cannot pay the rent'.
Social Democrats spokesman Rory Hearne said it is 'quite a cruel move' to give renters the RPZ for six or seven months 'and then rip it away from them', next March.
When their tenancy ends or the landlord decides to sell the property in six years' time 'they will face market rents and a rental system and a housing market that will be even more unaffordable'.
He said 'the Government is taking a gamble, but it is gambling with renters' lives, betting on the likelihood that the free market and the investor funds will come through for renters'.
Green Party leader
Roderic O'Gorman
called on the Minister to tie rent caps to the property and not just to the lease. In this way 'students returning to the same room are not charged new market rent each year'.
There should be a legal definition for student tenancy 'allowing academic year leases to be regulated in line with their unique situation'.
These are not 'radical asks' but 'practical adjustments that would make this legislation better'.
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Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, August 2nd: On Metro and St Stephen's Green, roads policing and Daniel O'Connell's stamp
Sir, – Following the recent refusal of planning permission for the redevelopment of St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, now is an ideal moment for the Department of Transport, in partnership with Dublin City Council, to consider acquiring the site and repurposing it as the long-awaited Metro North station. Such a move would not only make strategic use of an already-developed site, but would also spare the iconic St Stephen's Green park from the disruption and long-term impact of major construction works. Preserving our precious green space while advancing public transport infrastructure is a win win for Dublin city. London has shown how infrastructure can enhance rather than damage a city's fabric. Stations like Canary Wharf or King's Cross have become architectural landmarks in their own right, modern, functional spaces that complement their urban surroundings. Dublin deserves nothing less. A metro station at the current shopping centre could serve as a fitting gateway to the city centre without compromising one of our most treasured parks. READ MORE Is it not time for some joined-up thinking? – Yours, etc, EOIN BLACKLOCK, CEO, Ekco, Malahide, Co Dublin. Sir, – Now that An Coimisiún Pleanála has turned down a plan to redevelop St Stephen's Green Shopping Centre perhaps the Government should acquire the site by way of compulsory purchase order for the proposed metro station and leave the Green undisturbed. Shops and restaurants could and should also be part of any new redevelopment. – Yours, etc, CIARAN CLANCY, Booterstown, Co Dublin. Trump and Rosie O'Donnell Sir, – Rosie O'Donnell's distaste and 'loathing' for Donal Trump as depicted in her show Common Knowledge elicits some sympathy for the US president in the letter of Paddy Fitzpatrick (July 31st) who advises 'always be kinder than is necessary'. For all we know, Rosie has already factored in this worthwhile advice before she each time fulminates against the man who has made denigrating his opponents into an art form. – Yours, etc, PJ McDERMOTT, Westport, Co Mayo. McDowell and Trump Sir, – Senator Michael McDowell writes that Donald Trump 'is right on migration'. He declares that asylum seeking is a 'racket'. (' Whatever about his tariffs, Trump's 'helpful advice' to the EU is on the money ,' July 30th). Praising Trump's ideas, which have led him to establish his ICE secret police, is a daring admission for Michael. Europe does have a lot to learn from Donald Trump, namely, that people who scapegoat migrants in defence of the wealthy are a threat to social cohesion, freedom and human empathy. – Yours, etc, PETER COUSINS, Skerries, Dublin. Childcare funding Sir, – Minister for Children Norma Foley, and her Department colleagues need to do more than simply label childcare providers' departure from core funding as 'regrettable.' (' Parents face fee rise after Dublin childcare provider pulls out of 'deeply flawed' core funding model ,' July 30th). They must actively listen to the urgent concerns of both providers and parents on this critical issue. As a parent whose children happily attend a wonderful crèche with dedicated staff, I fully support my childcare provider's difficult decision to opt out of core funding. Why would childcare providers turn down substantial funding unless the current system is fundamentally flawed? Core funding imposes an immense administrative burden on providers and fails to adequately cover rising operational costs, particularly staffing. Furthermore, it offers no increased funding for crèches supporting children with additional needs or those that have made significant capital investments in their facilities. I urge the Minister to prioritise quality childcare and reform core funding without delay. – Yours, etc, DR MELISSA O'NEILL, Glounthaune, Co Cork. Garda roads policing Sir – The Garda Commissioner has given a forthright and honest response to the problem of uninterested gardaí, but I wonder whether other organisations share the problem of dedicated and committed staff having to carry their disengaged peers? (' Shocking: Some roads policing gardaí 'openly hostile' towards doing their jobs, review finds ,' July 31st). Have other taxpayer-funded organisations implemented effective performance management? It would be interesting to know. – Yours etc. SEAN RYAN, Mountshannon, Co Clare. Sir, – Over the past few years I've noticed more and more cars with 'non standard' and 'decorative' (ie illegal) registration plates. These are clearly designed to be unreadable by speed and toll cameras, and yet they proliferate, which surely wouldn't happen if we had effective roads policing. While the recent Crowe report on challenges within the roads department of An Garda Siochána is alarming, it should be a spur to positive action. Surely one of the early signs of success will be a drop in the number of registration plates with tiny lettering and grey backgrounds? I live in hope. – Yours, etc, MICK FLYNN, Waterford. Planetary challenges Sir, – Minister for Public Expenditure Pascal Donohoe, recently shared his reflections on two books dealing, in different ways, with the planetary scale challenges currently facing global human civilisation (' Paschal Donohoe on books that advise how to run our economies and save the planet ,' July 26th). These challenges are triggered by a rapidly unfolding clash between the physical realities of a finite planet and political aspirations for unending growth in economic activity, with its seemingly insatiable appetite for more and more material and energy throughput. I'm no economist, but as a professional engineer, I know a thing or two about physics and chemistry: especially that they do not bend to wishful thinking. While apparently acknowledging these harsh realities, Minister Donohoe concludes that an agenda of stabilising (and then reducing) global economic activity is neither 'credible' nor 'achievable'. This is on the basis that – in his view – such a vision would be rejected by voters in any democratic society. Minister Donohoe is a highly experienced and respected politician, so his assessment of political feasibility must be taken seriously. But then we are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Physics and chemistry will certainly not yield. To say that human societies, nonetheless, cannot learn to live good lives within planetary limits thus represents a counsel of despair. I, for one, refuse to accept that counsel. – Yours, etc, PROF BARRY McMULLIN, Dublin City University, Dublin Aerial views of Daniel O'Connell Sir, – The artist who inserted a television aerial in the design of the Daniel O'Connell stamp issued by an Post ( TV aerial in commemorative Daniel O'Connell stamp is 'visual signal' to modern age, not product of AI, says An Post ,' July 31st, states that it is a surreal reference to '…the impact the great communicator Daniel O'Connell's mass rallies would have had if they had been televised.' External television aerials are seldom used for television reception in 2025. Surely a more widely used communications technology that has more impact than television, such as, mobile phones would be more apt? – Yours, etc, AODÁN Ó CONCHÚIR, France. Sir, – I have tried to get AI to draw a picture for a stamp of Daniel O'Connell leaving the GPO in an elaborately gilded chariot. It's quite hard to get AI to put in a TV aerial, AI just isn't that stupid. So, it would seem that a human may have, actually, produced the official stamp. – Yours etc, JAMES O'RIORDAN, Stepaside, Dublin 18. Sir, –The artist's explanation as reported by your paper for the presence of an anachronistic tv aerial in one of An Post's recently released stamps commemorating Daniel O'Connell is the funniest piece of mylesnagcopaleenism I've read in a long time. He can not be serious! – Yours, etc, HUGH Mc DONNELL, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Not happy with the headline Sir, – The headline ' Ceann Comhairle attends Swiss conference alongside sanctioned Russian politician, ' (July 30th) is a prime example of clickbait news reporting. In fact, it is more a case of distorting rather than reporting. I am surprised at this type of headline from your respected institution. Are politicians and representatives the world over to be denied free association and exchange of ideas every time a Russian representative appears at such venues? Are we to cancel the United Nations/Security Council meetings due to Russian involvement? I doubt that the representative speakers from all the other nations in attendance received such unfair reporting. –Yours, etc, PAUL GRAY, Dublin 9. Not happy with the photograph Sir, - What a bizarre image for the Dublin Horse Show 2025 on the cover of the sponsored supplement with yesterday's Irish Times. A woman draped across a bale of hay. Seriously? –Yours, etc, FINTAN LANE, Lucan, Co Dublin. Happy out Sir, - John Dunne's letter in yesterday's edition ( August 1st) about kids climbing trees put a broad smile on my face. Not exclusively because of the interesting content but also thanks to the epistle's humorously apt headline –Seldom seen kid – which suggests that the Letters Editor may very well be a fan of the Manchester band, Elbow. – Yours, etc, KIERAN FLYNN, Ballinasloe, Co Galway. Remembering Sean Rocks Sir, – I was deeply saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Sean Rocks, presenter of the RTÉ Radio 1 Arena programme, among many other career achievements. I listen to Arena on my long commute home every day and his engaging interviews with actors, playwrights, musicians and authors certainly gave me inspiration to check out the books, plays, films and music I may not have heard about elsewhere. A true public service broadcaster – may he rest in peace. – Yours, etc, COLETTE DAVIS, Dunsany, Co Meath. Sir, – It is with deep regret that we have heard of the death of RTÉ broadcaster Sean Rocks. Sean was a great friend of the arts and of artists across Ireland and abroad. Through his radio programme, he provided wonderful insights into the creative world. His compassion and warmth are legendary. It is hard to believe that he will no longer continue to light up our cultural realm in his unique self-effacing way which belied his enormous knowledge, both as an arts practitioner and a broadcaster. On behalf of Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann we extend our deepest sympathy to Sean's wife Catherine and his two sons. Our sympathy too to his many friends in RTÉ and across the arts world. May he rest in peace. – Yours, etc, PÁDRAIG HANRATTY, LIZ McMANUS , Co Chairs, Irish PEN/PEN na hÉireann, Dundalk. Busy, busy, busy,even busier Sir, – On the matter of 'The look of looking busy': I recall the experience of Sam McAughtry. Many of your readers may remember Sam; writer, social commentator, humourist, trade unionist and one time civil servant. It was his first day in the Department of Agriculture in Stormont as a lowly clerical assistant. He was given an errand to go to the top floor of Dundonald House; the power centre for the most senior staff in that department. He walked briskly along the corridor, entered the lift and smiled broadly to the older gentleman also in the lift. He wanted to give a good impression. They both got out on the top floor. Sam held his head up and as he walked off speedily the older man called out to him: 'Young man, are you new?'' 'Yes,' he replied with a smile. ''Well,' said the Secretary of the Department, for it was he, 'take my advice. Never walk quickly; walk slowly. Don't smile, creates the wrong impression; bow your head and look as if you are in serious contemplation; oh, most important, carry a file'. Sam took this advice and had a very successful career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.. He laughed when he told the story. – Yours, etc, GREG MAXWELL, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Taxing imported food Sir, – The Government should consider imposing a large tariff on unnecessary imported perishable foodstuffs. These air mile-laden, tasteless products are substantially contributing to climate change. Yesterday, in the supermarket there were french beans from Zimbabwe, mange tout peas from Ethiopia. Both products are growing abundantly in my garden in Cork. To top it off there were blackberries from the Netherlands in a year when the hedgerows are simply brimming with the fruit. – Yours, etc. TIM BRACKEN, Cork.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Irish Examiner view: We need more gardaí but facial recognition could help the force do its job
Many claims are made to support the widespread introduction of facial recognition technology (FRT). Mostly they relate to policing and the efficiencies which could be gained in an era when An Garda Síochána continuously finds it difficult to fill vacancies. This was underlined this week when it was revealed that 7,000 fewer drug searches were carried out last year, compared to 2022. They dropped 15% for the entire country, but by as much as 43% in Clare/Tipperary and 34% in Cork City. If this is a consequence, as officers maintain, of fewer gardaí 'on the streets' then what will happen when almost 1,900 members of the force become eligible to retire over the next three years? There is an inexorable logic to future demands that this shortfall be managed, in part, by more widespread use of technology. Unfortunately, that runs directly into mounting worries about civil liberties and the rights of ordinary citizens to pursue legitimate interests free from unjustified official intrusion and oversight. Politicians recognise the dangers of being portrayed as agents of some form of deep state. They have been slow to introduce body cameras for guards and our government is taking baby steps on plans for incorporation of real-time facial recognition technology into next gen surveillance techniques. Justice minister Jim O'Callaghan has said a bill currently before the Dáil will not provide for the use of real-time FRT but its future deployment has not been ruled out in cases of terrorism, national security, and missing persons 'with strict safeguards'. This would have to be considered for inclusion in any subsequent bill. Live facial recognition technology uses video footage of crowds passing a camera and automatically compares their images against a police database of people on a 'watch list'. Senior officers will, no doubt, be keenly observing what happens next door. The UK, along with Germany, is already Europe's leading exponent of CCTV with more than 5m units in position compared to the few thousand we have in Ireland. Now the Metropolitan Police, the UK's largest force, is set to double its use of live facial recognition to up to 10 deployments every week. It justifies the move as part of a restructuring to offset the loss of 1,400 officers and 300 staff in a budgetary crisis. Its new tactics will be implemented at the sometimes tempestuous Notting Hill Carnival at the end of this month. The Met's commissioner, Mark Rowley, says: It's a fantastic piece of technology. It's very responsibly used, and that's why most of the public support it. The problem for civil liberties campaigners resides in the last line of that quote. The majority of citizens don't like society being under-policed, something which they equate with criminals being given an easy run and producing the kind of gloomy results contained in the recent drug search statistics. Last year, British police scanned some 4.7m faces using the technology, more than double the figure for 2023. Most senior officers believe the cameras are on their way to becoming 'commonplace' in England and Wales. The challenge for our society is to ensure the law on FRT, and any protection it contains for the rights of citizens, does not get outpaced by its use. Crimefighting success in nearby jurisdictions is likely to increase clamour for its deployment. When happiness is the best revenge The tariffs announced on Friday for 69 trading partners of the US — ranging from 41% for Syria to 10% for the UK — have all the hallmarks of a running joke. But a joke of the worst possible kind, one which has gone on too long. Shoppers enjoying a hula hoop demonstration in Cork in the run-up to Christmas, 1958. Joan Anderson, who sparked the hula hoop craze in the US died this week aged 101. Picture: Irish Examiner Archive It would be easy to complain this morning but, to draw a lesson from Monty Python, it is better to look on the bright side of life. And there is plenty there to lighten our load. American scientists have just confirmed that the world's longest streak of lightning — a 'megaflash' — covered more than 500 miles, from Texas to the outskirts of Kansas City. Meanwhile a holidaymaker rockpooling on South Uist in the Outer Hebrides has rediscovered a species of jellyfish, Depastrum cyathiforme, thought to have been extinct for 50 years. If both these reports carry a whiff of what used to known in newsrooms as 'the silly season', then we commend the heartwarming story following the death of the Australian woman who brought the concept of the hula hoop to the US, igniting one of the biggest crazes of the previous century. Joan Anderson, who died this week aged 101, failed to gain financially from a fad which had hundreds of millions of participants. She filed a lawsuit against the toy company which exploited her idea and eventually settled for minor compensation. But, in a message we might all usefully reflect on in 2025, Joan said: 'Why be angry with something you can't change? The world isn't fair but life goes on. 'I had a great life. My husband lived to be 87 and we had 63 wonderful years together. 'Happiness is the best revenge.' What's your view on this issue? You can tell us here Last supper for Gregg Wallace 'Who's the Daddy?' It's just the sort of slang phrase you can imagine being used by Gregg Wallace at the height of his laddish popularity as a TV personality, something that viewers will be able to experience for conceivably the last time starting next week. Allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour and language were made against presenter Gregg Wallace after the forthcoming MasterChef series was recorded. Picture: BBC/PA It's certainly an adequate description of MasterChef, which in its various iterations, can be viewed as the durable forerunner of international format programming. From its launch in 1990, under the rather different stewardship of Loyd Grossman, it has been mimicked by a number of hugely successful shows all utilising a comfortingly predictable participatory and voyeuristic formula. What is common to all these programmes is that they contain lesser or greater amounts of humiliation for the contestants and the occasional soupcon of cruelty, presumably just enough to meet modern tastes without, showrunners hope, tipping over into something darker. The global MasterChef franchise has been better than most at attracting interest, watched by hundreds of millions worldwide. The upcoming series, filmed last year and which will begin on BBC One next Wednesday, was produced before allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour and language were made against Wallace. His co-presenter John Torode was accused of making a racist comment — euphemistically known as 'the N-word' — at a social gathering more than five years ago. He says he has no recollection of doing so. After an independent review by the Lewis Silkin legal practice, which also has offices in Dublin and Belfast, Torode was told that his contract with the BBC would not be renewed. The Silkin team upheld 45 allegations against Wallace including claims of inappropriate sexual language and one incident of unwelcome physical contact over a 17-year-timeline. The decision on whether to air this latest series featuring the two sacked presenters has been fraught. It has been on hold since the accusations emerged with the BBC deciding it should go ahead after most of the contestants supported its broadcast. John Torode and Gregg Wallace. The decision on whether to air the already-recorded latest series of MasterChef featuring the two sacked presenters has been fraught. File picture: PA/BBC/Shine TV Most, but not all. One participant wanted the whole show canned, and has now been edited out of the final version. 'For me, it's about the enabling environment,' she said. 'It's that complicity. Those individual powerful men do not [act] in isolation. There is an enabling environment, turning a blind eye ... it's about years of these institutions not being accountable.' Sincere though these expressions are, based on the evidence this seems extreme. All potential viewers have the sanction of the on-off button. How many use it is likely to determine whether we get to see the Celebrity MasterChef series and the Christmas special. Wallace looks to be a serious loser. His access to international networks is being replaced by his reported plan to launch a private chat room (€13.50 a month) for men over the age of 50. 'Real talk, real support — hosted by Gregg Wallace. Fitness, food, lifestyle, laughs. Sign up below and pop in to say hello' — says the blurb. It sounds a more measured approach than one of his responses to complaints made against him. On that occasion, ignoring the dictum that, when you are in a hole, you should stop digging, he hit out at 'middle class women of a certain age'. Perhaps this is a lesson learned. Perhaps chippy masculinity will come back into fashion. But that is probably not the way to bet.
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Presidential election winner in line for increased election expenses refund of up to €250,000
The winner of the presidential election will be entitled to reimbursement of election expenses by the State of an increased sum of up to €250,000 after this year's campaign. Unsuccessful candidates whose vote reaches a quarter of the quota are also in line for the same maximum level of refund. The sum is €50,000 more than the maximum reimbursement of €200,000 that was on offer after the 2018 election. The increase was approved by Minister for Local Government James Browne to reflect the increase in the consumer price index (CPI) – a measures of inflation – that has occurred since 2018. READ MORE On that occasion just two candidates qualified for reimbursement, President Michael D Higgins and Independent candidate Peter Casey . Mr Higgins's re-election campaign in 2018 had expenses of some €367,338, with €200,000 of this reimbursed. Mr Casey was repaid the full amount of his expenses, which amounted to €119,911. Others whose share of the vote did not meet the threshold for refunds were Independents Joan Freeman, whose campaign spent €253,194; Seán Gallagher , whose campaign had spending of €246,820; and Gavin Duffy, whose campaign cost €163,438. Sinn Féin spent €209,716 on the campaign for its 2018 candidate, Liadh Ní Riada, but also lost out on any reimbursement. The Department of Local Government on Friday said Mr Browne had signed an order increasing the maximum reimbursement amount from €200,000 to €250,000. 'Applying the CPI increase since the amount was last revised resulted in a potential increase to €252,700 which has been rounded down to €250,000.' The overall spending limit for individual presidential campaigns will remain at €750,000 for the forthcoming election, expected to take place in October or November. This €750,000 spending limit is still well above even the most expensive election campaign of recent times. That was Fine Gael's unsuccessful bid to get former MEP Gay Mitchell elected in 2011, which ran up election expenses of €527,152. Mr Mitchell's campaign did not qualify for any reimbursement. There are just two confirmed candidates in this year's presidential race so far: Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness – a former European Commissioner and MEP – and left-wing Galway West Independent TD Catherine Connolly . Ms McGuinness has the backing of a large party and its financial resources. Ms Connolly is seeking donations from supporters and is likely to get funding from the smaller parties that back her including Labour and the Social Democrats . The sums raised for Ms Connolly's campaign through online fundraising as of Thursday evening stood at some €28,500.
