Labour has hit out at the Government for not designating Limerick and Waterford at Rent Pressure Zones (RPZ's).

Limerick TD and Spokesperson on Housing, Planning and Local Government, Jan O'Sullivan, said the people of Limerick, Waterford and other parts of the country are now left with no protection from steep hikes.

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Deputy O'Sullivan said: "When I spoke in the Dáil before Christmas on the Government's Housing Bill, I warned that the criteria to qualify for a 4 percent cap on rent increases per year were too restrictive, especially relating to hikes in four of the last six quarters.

"Unfortunately my fear that places like Limerick might lose out has come to pass.

"This is disastrous for tenants who are already struggling to pay and now face rises they can't afford. Linking rent increases to the Consumer Price Index as the Labour Party has proposed would have been a much fairer way to go."

(CD/LM)