Enda Kenny asked to ‘declare national housing emergency’

Taoiseach Enda Kenny should declare a national emergency on rent and housing, a leading homeless campaigner has said.

It comes after a package aimed at tackling the housing and rent crisis was announced, which includes capping rent increases to once every two years, providing developers with incentives to build more affordable housing and stipulating that landlords must give proof they are selling a property if they evict a tenant for this reason.

However, the measures have been criticised by groups representing tenants and those at risk of homelessness, as well as landlord bodies.