Eva Osborne The Government has approved the extension of rent controls nationwide in a bid to protect renters. The publication of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 has been approved for priority enactment. The Bill provides for:

• The deeming of non rent pressure zones (RPZs) to be RPZs from the day after enactment until February 28th 2026;
• And a two-month extension, until February 28th, 2026, to the operation of existing rent pressure zones.

Minister for Housing,  James Browne, said the government is "protecting renters" and he is "moving swiftly on this". “In line with last week’s Government approval for the urgent drafting of legislation to extend and expand the operation of rent pressure zones, I can now announce that the Government has approved the publication of the necessary legislation – the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025 – for urgent enactment," he said. “While the rental measures announced have been necessarily complex to respond to different situations in our rental market, we want to provide certainty, clarity and stability for the rental sector including those who rent and those who let their properties. “It is important, as an interim measure, for all tenants to be protected, as soon as possible, under the current rent increase restrictions that apply in RPZs. This Bill provides that necessary protection for all tenants until 28 February 2026.” Minister of State and Waterford TD, John Cummins, said: “The Government has been clear that any changes to rent pressure zones will have to see increased protections for tenants. That is why we are moving quickly to extend the Rent Pressure Zone and expanding to cover the whole country as quickly as possible.” For the latest Waterford News and Sport, tune into WLR News on the hour and download the WLR App for news on demand.