The average price to rent a property in Dublin is currently over €1,200, according to data released by Daft.ie.

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson, Eoin Ó Broin TD, called on the government to urgently roll out an affordable rental/cost rental scheme as the rise in rents to December 2017 was 10.9%, 6.9% higher than the 4% cap.

Deputy Ó Broin said: "According to the data contained in the Daft.ie rental report this is the seventh quarter in a row rents have reached an all-time high.

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"The government appears to have forgotten the commitments it made in the programme for government and in Rebuilding Ireland to roll out an affordable rental scheme.

"It was nowhere to be seen in the government’s affordable housing announcement a few weeks ago.

"The private market is struggling to provide affordable, good quality accommodation for families, students, young professionals and all those struggling to find HAP accommodation.

"The government must step in and provide homes at an affordable rent on public land.

"In the meantime the government must accept the rent pressure zone legislation is not functioning and the Minister for Housing and Fianna Fáil must reassess their opposition to the introduction of real rent certainty measures."

(CD/MH)