SLIGO, Ireland — The average rent for a three-bedroom house in Sligo is now almost €1,500, a figure Labour Councillor Ann Higgins has labeled “totally unsustainable” and a damning indictment of the Government’s housing strategy.
Councillor Higgins, who is currently dealing with a “tsunami of people who are facing eviction,” highlighted alarming figures from the latest Daft.ie rental report:
- National Rents: Now one-third higher than pre-Covid levels and two-thirds higher than the Celtic Tiger peak.
- Connacht-Ulster Region (Excluding Galway): Experienced an “unbelievable depressing increase” of 76% in market rents since the pre-Covid era.
- Sligo Average: The monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment stands at €1,315, while a three-bedroom house averages €1,497.
- Availability: Down significantly, with supply now less than one-third (29%) of the 2015-2019 average.
“It is wild that in 2025, people are paying record prices for the most basic human necessity – a place to live,” Cllr. Higgins stated.
Failed Policy and Urgent Calls for Reform
Cllr. Higgins argued that the Government’s failed policy has created a “horrendous perfect storm of lack of affordability and availability,” pushing families, workers, and students into permanent insecurity. With over 160 local people and families currently homeless across Sligo, she warned that these eviction figures are “only going to go upwards.”
As the Government prepares to announce a new housing plan tomorrow, Labour is calling for immediate and robust protections for renters:
- End No-Fault Evictions: Stop tenants from being forced out when a property is sold.
- Close Loopholes: End the abuse of evictions for refurbishment unless a property is genuinely uninhabitable.
- Restrict ‘Family Use’ Evictions: Limit these evictions to genuine cases involving an immediate spouse or child, with strong oversight to prevent landlords using it simply to hike rents later.
“It’s time for real action, not more promises,” she concluded, demanding that the Government deliver for renters and rein in spiraling costs to give people stability and dignity.
