Carlow town is to be designated as a 'Rent Pressure Zone', Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has confirmed.

This government intervention will see tenants benefit from a number of protective measures.

Fine Gael TD Pat Deering, who has been working with Minister Murphy on the project, welcomed the confirmation.

"The protections of the RPZ will now extend to Carlow Town and the nearby surrounding areas of Ballinacarrig, Johnstown and Burton Hall," Deputy Deering said.

"This extension of the RPZs is a direct result of the new rent reforms that were introduced into law in June 2019. This is great news for people in Carlow, following on from the designation of Graiguecullen as an RPZ earlier in the year, is the most significant expansion of rent controls since the rent pressure zones were first introduced over two years ago.

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"Under the RPZ rules, rents cannot be increased by more than 4% per annum. This applies to new and existing tenancies (unless an exemption is being applied) in areas where very steep rent hikes arose on foot of particularly high demand.

"The RPZs work to moderate rent inflation. The Government has also strengthened the enforcement of existing rent pressure zones which sends a strong signal to landlords in relation to their responsibilities.

"Short term letting reforms will also see an increased supply of long term lets which should also help tackle rising rents across the country."

(CM/JG)