The Environment Minister Alan Kelly is coming under fire as 'rent uncertainty' continues to be blamed for pushing up prices.
The Irish Independent reports the growing accommodation crisis is now being linked by senior politicians to attempts by Minister Kelly to bring in rent controls, which is creating a rift within the Government.
Experts now believe landlords are seizing on the confusion to hike rents, while at the same time investors are staying out of the market.
Group Political Editor of Independent News and Media, Kevin Doyle, says Minister Kelly is now willing to settle for short-term rent certainty but that still will not solve the problem:
Fintan McNamara, director of the Residential Landlords Association, spoke to Newstalk Lunchtime this afternoon about the situation.
"Landlords are very anxious about rent control," Fintan explained. "It is something that would be a very negative feature for the residential rental market, both for existing investment and would be future investors".
It has been six months the association met Minister Kelly, and Fintan says "it is quite a long time, but nothing has happened in the meantime. We made our concerns known to him, and we certainly would like him to take them on board".
