Tenants tell council 'on your bike', chanting they will 'not pay rent hikes'
Social housing tenants have continued protesting against the recent hikes laid out in Dublin City Council’s budget.
Following a protest organised by CATU at last week’s budget meeting , affected tenants returned to City Hall last night to highlight their dissatisfaction with rent increases for those in social housing. With housing activist James O’Toole leading a chant of “ Dublin City Council on your bike, we won’t pay your rent hike,” tenants braved the cold and rain to highlight the effect of rent increases on vulnerable families.
Smithfield tenant Jennifer Lyons spoke to Dublin Live as the protest was kicking off and said she will be badly affected by the increases, which are due to be implemented from April 6, 2026. She said she doesn’t want to charge her daughter rent as she is working toward saving for a mortgage, and these increases could stand in the way of her breaking her family out of the cycle of social housing.
“I work full time and I pay a high rent anyway. There's an illusion about everyone paying €30 a month. I can tell you now for definite, my rent has gone up twice in the last six months. A little bit at a time, but it creeps up and it all adds up,” she said.
"There is such a thing as generational poverty. And we're trying to get our kids to get out of that. I'm trying to help my daughter save up for a mortgage by not charging her rent. She's trying to save up, and live. It affects us all. It's not just people on social welfare.
"There's many of us working full time. We do pay very very high rents. I can't manage that on my own, and then charge my daughter who is trying to save for a mortgage.
"We're paying rents, we're not getting the help from Dublin City Council for our premises. It takes them weeks to turn up. Heating systems that are not working, windows not up to par, we deal with mould. If they were doing what they were supposed to do as landlords, we probably wouldn't mind as much."
These comments were echoed by Independent Councillor Gavin Pepper who put forward an emergency motion calling on the rent increases to be "immediately scrapped.” He signalled out families facing “severe financial pressure” due to the “the ongoing cost of living crisis, including rising costs for food, energy, and essential household expenses.”
“A rent increase at this time would place further, unacceptable strain on tenants already struggling to make ends meet. I therefore request that the Chief Executive take urgent action to withdraw the proposed rent increase and implement measures to protect tenants, ensuring that rent remains fair and affordable for all residents.” he said.
However, Labour Cllr Dermot Lacey pointed out that Cllr Pepper’s motion went against the council’s standing orders as it’s not permitted to rescind any resolution of the council within six months of adoption, unless the notice is signed by at least 15 members of the council. This objection was accepted by Lord Mayor Cllr Ray McAdam who confirmed the motion went against Standing Order 26.
This did not stop several councillors from highlighting the merits scrapping the increases, with Independent Cllr Pat Dunne urging the CEO to consider reversing the rent raises. He pointed out those receiving Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) as being hit particularly hard by the changes.
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