Average rent for a three bed house in Sligo of almost €1,500 ‘is not sustainable’

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

The latest Daft.ie rental report has been described by Labour Cllr Ann Higgins as “a damning indictment of the Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s failure to protect renters and deliver affordable homes.”

The report reveals market rents are now one third above pre-Covid levels and two thirds higher than in the Celtic Tiger peak, with this region (Connacht-Ulster, excluding Galway) showing what Cllr Higgins described as, “An unbelievable depressing increase of 76%. Coupled with the significant drop in availability (-71%) in this region, the failed housing strategy has resulted in locking out of so many people from the rental market.”

The report shows that market rents in the year to September rose by 4.3% nationally and 5.9% in Connacht- Ulster (excluding Galway), with the average monthly rent in Sligo for a two-bedroom apartment now standing at €1,315. Cllr Higgins said the figures reveal that Ireland’s rent crisis has become intolerable, and that the Government’s so-called housing plan has failed communities in Sligo and across the country.

Cllr. Higgins said, “The scale of Ireland’s rent crisis has become completely intolerable. Market rents are now one third higher than pre-Covid levels and two thirds above the Celtic Tiger peak. For too long, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have failed to grasp the nettle and introduce real protections for renters. Their plans have failed, and it is ordinary renters here in Sligo who are paying the price. Families, workers and students here simply cannot keep up with these rising costs. It’s pushing people out of their communities and forcing many into precarious living situations.

“Government’s failed housing policy has created this horrendous perfect storm of lack of affordability and availability. Plainly put, there are too few properties to rent and those that are much too expensive.

“Availability is now less than one third (29%) of its 2015-2019 average, when an average of 630 homes were typically available for rent. The total number of homes put up for rent in Connacht-Ulster in the year to October was 3,450, down 9% year-onyear and 55% below the 2015-2019 average.

“Average monthly rents of €1,497 for a three-bedroom house in Sligo are totally unsustainable. This Government’s failure to deliver affordable, secure homes has pushed an entire generation into permanent insecurity. It is wild that in 2025, people are paying record prices for the most basic human necessity – a place to live.

“As we await the Government’s new housing plan, due to be announced tomorrow, the question is whether they will finally face up to reality. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael’s approach to housing has been one of delay, denial and deference to the market. They talk about solutions, but every year the problem gets worse.

“Labour has long called for measures to enhance security for renters. We must end no-fault evictions and stop tenants being forced out when a property is sold. Evictions for refurbishment should only be allowed where a property is genuinely uninhabitable – not used as a loophole by landlords looking to hike rents.

“We also need to restrict so-called ‘family use’ evictions to genuine cases involving a spouse or child, with far stronger oversight to prevent abuse. These changes are vital to give renters in Sligo and beyond a sense of stability and dignity in their homes.

“We need a new era in housing – one built on fairness, transparency and security for renters and homeowners alike. People in Sligo deserve to know they can put down roots without fear of eviction or constant rent hikes.

‘I am dealing with a tsunami of local people who are facing eviction in the next couple of months, with simply nowhere to go. With over 160 local people and families currently in homeless across Sligo, these figures are only going to go upwards. And it is important to remember that behind all the facts and figures, it is real people from all sectors, ages and backgrounds, from single people to families, who are stuck in this endless loop of not having certainty around where they will live within the next couple of months. Real people, real anxiety, real lives put on hold, real children growing up in homelessness, real people emigrating.

“It’s time for real action, not more promises. Government must finally deliver for renters, rein in spiralling costs, and give people a break.”

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.