Latest news with #RPZ
Irish Independent
24-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Charity prevented 950 households from becoming homeless and supported more than 7,000 children in past three months
The national housing charity, which released its Q2 2025 impact report today, supported over 8,500 households from April to June this year, including 11,400 adults and more than 7,000 children. Meanwhile, tenancy termination remains the biggest issue that renters face, with one in three (35pc) queries related to this, similarly to previous quarters. Of the new households that contacted the charity since April, nearly 1,600 were at risk of homelessness. Threshold's National Advocacy Manager, Ann-Marie O'Reilly, said: 'While Threshold continues to be concerned about strains on renters in 2025, it is encouraging to see people reaching out to us for support and guidance around their rights as private sector renters." "Our Q2 impact report highlights the need for continued work and advocacy to support private renters across Ireland, even with the updated Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) legislation, which extends the RPZ rent controls across the nation," she added. Threshold welcomed the nationwide extension of the RPZ to all counties on June 20, which means that all tenancies benefit from the cap on rent increases. Ms O'Reilly said: 'Threshold welcomes the extension of Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) nationally, providing crucial protection to an additional 41,000 households." "We now want to ensure that all renters know that they are protected by the 2pc rent increase cap and encourage renters to get in touch if they have any questions, worries or concerns. 'We support the revised National Development Plan, given the importance of delivering housing and infrastructure to support housing development. "We will continue to engage with the Government and other stakeholders in the coming months on further proposed changes to seek the best outcome for the rental sector as a whole," she added.
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
All of the cost of living money changes set to take effect in July
Four money changes are set to take effect for Irish households throughout July. Two eligible groups are in line for payments, with applications now open for one group for a much-needed scheme, while an increase is set to come into effect for another, RSVP Live reports. Those renting a house or apartment and people who drive certain commercial vehicles will also be set for some changes. Here is everything you need to know about any money-related changes happening for the month of July. New Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) rules came into effect for all private and student-specific accommodation tenancies in Ireland on June 20, 2025. As per the new rules, landlords are only able to increase rent once a year by either the rate of inflation or by two per cent, whichever is lowest. You can read more information about the new rules here. Applications for the 2025 Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance opened up for eligible households in June - with payments for the scheme being made from the week starting Monday, 14 July. The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a once-off social welfare payment made to eligible families to assist them with the cost of sending their children back to school. The rate of payment for 2025 is €160 for children aged 4 - 11 and €285 for children aged 12 years and over in second-level education. You can find out more about the payment here. Starting in July 2025, the Carer's Allowance income disregard will increase to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. The weekly social welfare payment is made to people who care for someone because of their age, disability or illness (including mental illness). To qualify for the payment, your income must be below a certain amount. If you care for two or more people, your rate of Carer's Allowance is increased by 50 per cent (maximum) each week. If you get another social welfare payment, you may get half-rate Carer's Allowance. You can find out more information here. Starting from July 1, 2025, an emissions-based approach to Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) is being introduced. From this date, an eight per cent rate of tax will apply for category B vehicles with CO2 emissions of less than 120 grams per kilometre and vehicles with CO2 emissions greater than 120g/km will be at 13.3 per cent. Category B includes commercial vehicles designed and constructed for the carriage of goods and not exceeding 3.5 tonnes. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
Irish Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘A load of bull' that Sinn Féin is on the side of working people, Tánaiste says
Tánaiste Simon Harris has defended the Government's rent pressure zone (RPZ) reforms in the wake of the Central Bank's finding they will be 'painful' for renters and rounded on Sinn Féin as the 'wealthiest party' and property owner in the Dáil. He claimed it was a 'load of bull' that they were on the side of 'working people'. He also reiterated his comments that the Government will be taking specific measures to support students and that 'we have their backs' as Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane accused the Government of 'spin and bluster'. Responding to Mr Cullinane, Mr Harris hit out at Sinn Féin as the 'biggest property owners in Dáil, the biggest property investors' with 40 to 50 properties, including seven in Belfast. READ MORE 'So don't give me this 'oh we're on the side of the working people'. This is a load of bull that people see right through,' Mr Harris said. Mr Cullinane, quoting the Central Bank, said the Government measures 'will hurt students and their families', would affect young people and their ability to save for their own homes and 'this will hurt ordinary working people'. He said rent controls will not apply to new builds and will not apply to existing homes after a renter moves out voluntarily. They would also not apply to off-campus student accommodation , Mr Cullinane said. The Waterford TD said the reforms 'will hurt tens of thousands of people' and 'there is absolutely no guarantee that these changes will increase supply'. He asked 'when are you going to stop punishing renters?' and called on the Tánaiste to accept that 'students will be one of the first to be affected'. [ Will rent reform hitting holiday lets irk Coalition's own Ministers? Opens in new window ] Government housing policy 'has always been about investors and giving vulture and cuckoo funds free rein to squeeze rents out of hardworking people', Mr Cullinane said. Mr Harris said Mr Cullinane was only quoting parts of what the Central Bank said. The bank 'also said that our rent pressure zone reforms will have a positive effect on supply', Mr Harris said. 'They themselves acknowledge that housing projections are subject to uncertainty, but they've said this morning that it's not impossible to reach the target,' the Tánaiste added. 'There's a number of steps that need to be taken and many of the steps that they've outlined are areas where the Government has a priority focus on.' He said an additional 11 counties would be included in the RPZs and protected. Mr Harris also insisted the Government 'will be taking specific measures to support students'. 'Do not worry because we have their back,' he said, adding that the Government would include additional measures in the budget to protect students. He added that Sinn Féin planned to abolish RPZs and was in favour of reference rents which he said were unworkable. Mr Harris also rejected claims by Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín that the Government was underestimating the homeless population by almost 1,000 based on figures the party got through freedom of information requests to local councils. Mr Tóibín said the local authorities listed 16,472 people as homeless while the official figures are 15,580, some 892 fewer people. The Tánaiste said the monthly figures were official, impartial State statistics and not those of Government. He said in relation to figures compiled by Aontú that often those seeking housing are registered with more than one council creating duplication in the statistics. Opposition smells blood in the water over RPZ changes Listen | 35:51
Extra.ie
19-06-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
Thousands of Airbnb lettings set to become illegal from tomorrow
Housing Minister James Browne will not exempt short-term lets from emergency laws, which means thousands of Airbnb-type lettings will not be able to operate legally this weekend. The Dáil voted last night to approve emergency legislation to extend Rent Pressure Zones to the entire country. Under RPZ rules, short-term lets such as Airbnb are required to have planning permission in order to operate. Thousands of these properties will be subsumed into RPZs as early as tomorrow, when it is expected the legislation will be signed into law. Under RPZ rules, someone can let their entire home for a maximum of 90 days without planning permission, but only if it is their principal private residence. Housing Minister James Browne will not exempt short-term lets from emergency laws, which means thousands of Airbnb-type lettings will not be able to operate legally this weekend. Pic: Daniel Krason/Shutterstock A spokeswoman for the Housing Minister has confirmed to that there will be no exemptions made, despite the change effectively rendering thousands of Airbnb rentals illegal within days. 'RPZ rules will apply as they do currently when new areas are zoned as an RPZ,' she said. It comes despite lobbying from within the coalition against such an approach. Michael Healy Rae told the Irish Times on Wednesday that he was concerned about the impact the measures would have. Meanwhile, several senior sources told they expected the new laws to be flouted. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins They said that, as there is so little compliance and enforcement of the existing rules, they did not expect it to be an issue. 'We don't really expect there to be people hauled up before the courts as a result of this because they aren't being brought up in counties already in RPZs where they are clearly operating,' one source said. 'It's a matter for planning ultimately, but the current regime isn't being implemented,' a separate Government source said. The extension of the RPZs is part of a suite of changes to the rental market that were announced by Minister Browne last week. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin It is understood that Mr Browne will insist that any further changes to short-term lets will only be permitted in the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill, which is in the early stages of making its way through the Oireachtas. The extension of the RPZs is part of a suite of changes to the rental market that were announced by Minister Browne last week. Opposition TDs were scathing in their criticism of the Government's changes to the rental market last night. Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin Ó Broin described the emergency legislation as an 'utter shambles'. 'In my entire time in Dáil Éireann, I have never witnessed a more haphazard, back-of-the-envelope process for putting in place widespread reforms that are going to impact tens of thousands of people,' he said. Labour TD Conor Sheehan said the announcement of the rent reform plans was 'nothing short of shambolic'.
Irish Times
19-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Renters and politicians in pressure zone as housing Bill to be signed into law
On the day that this Government's first landmark housing Bill is expected to be signed into law, it appears that it's tenants and politicians, rather than high rents, that are in the pressure zone. Reform of rent pressure zones (RPZs) has been the political story of the week. Legislation to extend RPZs to the entire country passed the Dáil yesterday and is due to be rushed through the Seanad today. If President Michael D Higgins signs the legislation immediately, we would all be waking up tomorrow in an almost all-island RPZ. Minister for Housing James Browne may be feeling a little beleaguered having spent the week mounting a gallant defence of his RPZ reforms from attacks from the Opposition, doctors, students, protesters and AirBnB owners. So he will not thank the Central Bank for its assessment of the impact of RPZs, which it says will be 'painful' for renters. In our lead story today, Eoin Burke-Kennedy reports from the launch of the Central Bank's quarterly bulletin where the bank's director of economics and statistics was asked about the reforms. READ MORE Any delight the Government may feel about Robert Kelly's assessment that the reforms will increase supply will be blunted by the Central Bank downgrading its forecasts for new home completions in the near term. Under the Government's proposals, any pain will have to come before the gain. Even in the best case scenario, it's almost certain that many tenants will see their rents rocket to high market rates long before any new apartments are built. And the Government won't have much time to catch its breath between one high profile political issue and another. My colleague Jack Horgan-Jones was reporting last night that, in advance of some version of the Occupied Territories Bill going to Cabinet next week, it's expected that the proposed law will not include services. The Government benches will likely spend next week in defence mode again, due to the extremely high profile nature of the OTB and the significant public interest in it. Opposition smells blood in the water over RPZ changes Listen | 35:51 Health Representatives of Children's Health Ireland are due to appear before politicians on the health committee this morning, to answer questions about how children with dysplasia and scoliosis have been treated at Ireland's paediatric hospitals. New chief executive Lucy Nugent will be under pressure to get a conciliatory tone right, as TDs and senators are already extremely suspicious of what they perceive as a toxic culture that is embedded within CHI. Meanwhile, another health issue continues to dominate the political agenda. Following his appearance before the same health committee yesterday, Minister of State for older people Kieran O'Donnell said that the Department of Health has commissioned a report on the effect that mass privatisation of the nursing home sector has had on the standards of care offered to older and more vulnerable people. As Shauna Bowers and Marie O'Halloran are reporting today, this follows a programme by RTÉ Investigates that highlighted instances of alleged abuse at Beneavin Manor, Dublin, and The Residence, Portlaoise. Both homes are run by Emeis, the largest provider of private nursing home beds in the State. It comes after the Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil that the 'nuclear option' of closing a nursing home for significant failings 'has to be on the table'. He said it was up to the HSE and others 'to resolve the consequential crisis that occurs when a decision to close is made. But we shouldn't baulk from that decision because of that.' The Taoiseach said he had 'no issue' with larger fines for repeated failures but stressed closure had to be an option. Middle East It would be easy to keep an insular focus on our own domestic affairs, while ominous reports of the escalating tensions between Israel and Iran continue to threaten the front pages . As well as comprehensive coverage in our World News section of the crisis – including Michael Jansen's analysis of how Iran's regional allies cannot help, and the Iranian TV anchor who has become a national symbol of resistance after being bombed while live on air – Sally Hayden has a report on the cryptic clues from US president Donald Trump about the US possibly intervening on behalf of Israel. 'I may do it, I may not do it, nobody knows what I'm going to do. I can tell you this: that Iran's got a lot of trouble.' It comes as we wake up to reports from the other side of the Atlantic that Trump has approved plans to attack Iran , but according to CBS has not yet made a final decision on whether to strike the Middle Eastern nuclear power. Best reads Miriam Lord is writing about the righteous anguish of the Taoiseach, who is aggrieved at how many interruptions he's enduring in the Dail.Dáil can't get my points across because of this constant pressure.' Mark Paul takes us inside the feverish melee at Westminster Magistrates Court, where Kneecap 's Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh got the rockstar treatment at his hearing on Wednesday. Ó hAnnaidh, whose stage name is Mo Chara, was charged under UK antiterrorism legislation with showing support for a proscribed organisation. Newton Emerson writes in his column today about how he turned to YouTuber 'FreedomDad73′ for live coverage of the Ballymena riots, and what that means about media coverage in Northern Ireland and more broadly. Dáil schedule 8.47am Oral questions to Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke 10.24am Oral questions to Minister for Social Protection Dara Calleary 12.00pm Leaders' Questions 12.34pm Other Members' Questions 12.42pm Questions on policy or legislation 1.52pm Government Business is second stage of the Copyright and Related Rights (Amendment) Bill 2025, which is a bill about royalty payments designed to bring Ireland in line with an EU Copyright Directive 5.26pm Topical issues 6.26pm Private Members' Bill, which is second stage of Sinn Féin's Healthcare (Transparent Payments) Bill 2022 – a bill which would require healthcare workers to declare gifts and payments that they receive. In the Seanad 9.30am Commencement matters 10.30am Order of Business 11.45am Government business, which is devoted to passing all stages of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 – making the entire country a Rent Pressure Zone (RPZ) ... 1.45pm ... followed by a motion without debate allowing the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 to be signed into law quickly 2.00pm Government business is committee stage of the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 Oireachtas committtes Today's Oireachtas committee meetings include an high profile appearance of CHI before the health committee and scrutiny of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025, legislation to unravel the triple lock, before the Joint Committee on Defence and National Security. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is busy with a number of C & AG reports, including one on the Department of Housing's decision to grant exceptional funding to the Peter McVerry Trust. The Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community will consider the current funding strategy for Traveller-specific accommodation. You can read the full schedule here
