Sinn Féin to unveil rent relief proposals, says Pearse Doherty

Sinn Féin says it has proposals which would ease the crippling burden on renters, but will not reveal the details of its plan until next week.

Speaking at the party’s think-in in Cavan, Pearse Doherty said he will announce a “significant package” next Tuesday to provide relief for renters — the same day as Fianna Fáil holds its pre-Dáil gathering.

Mr Doherty said: “There is a particular pressure at this point in time in the rental sector where we have over 300,000 tenancies, where we now have rents that are 34% above peak rents in 2008 and this is causing huge distress, huge anxiety, huge worry on families out there wondering when will the rents increase next and will they be able to keep a roof over their heads.”

Mr Doherty said the measures would provide security, adding that landlords would not be able to pocket any of the savings, instead they would be passed directly on to renters.

When you see the proposals on Tuesday it is very clear that the landlords will not be able to do that, that would be a big concern.

The party has also confirmed that it will table a motion of no confidence in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy when the Dáil returns. Fianna Fáil has already said it will not back the motion claiming that a change of minister would do nothing to help the almost 10,000 people currently homeless.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has already indicated that housing-related proposals will form a key part of budget negotiations.

Mr Doherty said Fianna Fáil has “returned to form” with its proposals which he claimed are “on the side of landlords instead of on the side of tenants”.

Mr Doherty said a Fianna Fáil proposal of a tax break to landlords provides no certainty at all that the cost of rents would be reduced.

He said Sinn Féin has continuously put forward proposals which have been ignored by Government.

We now see a housing crisis that is completely out of control and a homeless crisis that has nearly 10,000 people in emergency accommodation.

Mr Doherty said the party would like to see funding for social housing doubled in the upcoming budget.

Separately, Mr Doherty moved to clear up any confusion that the IRA is still in operation, after party leader Mary-Lou McDonald was asked about this yesterday.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ms McDonald denied there are “shadowy figures” pulling the party strings in the background.

But she said it was “no secret” that tens of thousands of people went through the prison system in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

Pressed on this, Mr Doherty said: “The IRA doesn’t exist, the IRA has left the stage. What Mary-Lou McDonald said was that during the conflict there were many ex-prisoners who went through the prison system, but the leadership of Sinn Féin is the leadership of Sinn Féin.

I am a member of the collective leadership of Sinn Féin, I am on the national officer board, Mary-Lou is party leader and she makes decisions collectively with us,” said Mr Doherty.

He said claims that IRA members are driving political policy in Sinn Féin was a “political attack from the likes of Micheál Martin”.