Sinn Fein is calling for housing tenants to be provided with security and stability.

The party made the call as the Government considers a series of measures to help struggling accidental landlords.

Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin said landlords exiting the rental market is one of the biggest drivers of the current homeless crisis.

He said: "The result is an increase in voluntary sales and repossessions. In such cases landlords are issuing vacant possession notices to quit. In the absence of adequate supply of affordable rental many families are being driven into homelessness.

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"In response, the Government is considering a suite of tax related measures to keep accidental landlords in business and to boost supply in the private rental sector.

"It must be remembered that many of these landlords benefited from buy-to-let mortgage tax breaks when they first purchased their rental properties.

"Sinn Féin is not opposed to using the tax system to stabilise the private rental market. However tenants must benefit from any aid to accidental landlords.

"Tenants urgently need greater security of tenure. This can only be achieved by introducing tenancies of indefinite duration and restricting the grounds upon which a landlord can issue a notice to quit. 

"Tenants also need greater rent certainty. Sinn Féin firmly believes that linking rents to an index such as the CPI is the best way to achieve this. In the interim, the Governments weaker Rent Pressure Zones should be extended to all parts of the country. Exemptions in the RPZ legislation should also be removed."

(CD/LM)