Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 March 2018
675. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of the roll-out of the rent pressure zone system; the areas covered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11614/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 24A of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2016 sets out the procedure for the Minister to prescribe, by order, an area as a Rent Pressure Zone. It provides that the Housing Agency, in consultation with the relevant housing authority, may make a written proposal to the Minister that an identified area be prescribed as a Rent Pressure Zone. Within one week of receipt of such a proposal, the Minister shall request the Director of the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to furnish him, within two weeks, with a report on whether the proposed area satisfies the criteria specified in subsection 24A(4) for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone.
The criteria to be satisfied by an area under section 24A(4) of the Residential Tenancies Acts for designation as a Rent Pressure Zone are as follows:
(a) the information relating to the area, as determined by reference to the information used to compile each quarterly RTB Rent Index report, shows that the annual rate of increase in the average amount of rent for that area is more than 7% in each of at least 4 of the 6 quarters, preceding the period immediately prior to the date of the Housing Agency's proposal.
(b) the average rent for the area in the last quarter, as determined by reference to the information used to compile the RTB Rent Index, is above the average national rent (commonly referred to as the Rent Index national standardised rent) in the last quarter.
The Housing Agency will continue to monitor the rental market and may recommend further areas for designation. Where, following the procedures set out in the Act, it is found at a future date that additional areas meet the criteria, they will be considered for designation as Rent Pressure Zones.
The RTB's news page link in relation to its Rent Index - https://onestopshop.rtb.ie/news/latest-data-from-rtb-quarterly-rent-index-q3-2017/ - provides access to the most recent RTB Rent Index quarterly report (for Q3 2017) and summarises its key findings. Information is also provided as part of the RTB's education and awareness campaign relating to Rent Pressure Zones.
Table 9 in the RTB Rent Index report illustrates the recent rent changes at Local Electoral Area (LEA) level. The table outlines for each LEA the number of quarters within the last 6 Quarters where the annualised rent increases have been greater than or equal to 7% and how rent levels in each LEA compare to the Rent Index national standardised rent.
RPZ designations are listed in the following table.
|
24 December 2016 |
27 January 2017 |
30 March 2017 |
20 Sept 2017 |
|
Cork City Council |
Ballincollig-Carrigaline, Cork |
Cobh |
Drogheda |
|
Dublin City Council |
Galway City Central |
Maynooth |
Greystones |
|
Dun Laoghaire / Rathdown |
Galway City East |
||
|
Fingal County Council |
Galway City West |
||
|
South Dublin County Council |
Celbridge - Leixlip, Kildare |
||
|
Naas, Kildare |
|||
|
Kildare – Newbridge |
|||
|
Ashbourne, Meath |
|||
|
Laytown-Bettystown, Meath |
|||
|
Ratoath, Meath |
|||
|
Bray, Wicklow |
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|
Wicklow |
