New rental reforms being introduced by the Government will "rip up vital protections" instead of helping, Labour has said. Labour leader Ivana Bacik said the Government was “dressing deregulation up as reform” with its updated rent regulations. During leaders’ questions on Wednesday, Ms Bacik said the latest change in rental laws was a “chaotic intervention”. “Nationwide rent pressure zones sound meaningful until you read the small print, because allowing landlords to reset rents to market value between tenancies will rip up the vital protections altogether,” Ms Bacik said. Ms Bacik called for the Government to introduce a rent freeze to give “real breathing space” for tenants.

Source: Irish Examiner January 28, 2026 17:08 UTC