As the Irish housing market grapples with persistent rental inflation, Roscommon is not exempt from the challenges facing tenants across the country. According to the latest Rental Report by Daft.ie, market rents in Roscommon increased by an alarming 9.5% in the third quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year. The average rent now stands at €1,347, a staggering 89% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
While Dublin continues to dominate the headlines with its soaring rents—averaging €2,476 per month and seeing a year-on-year inflation rate of 5.2%—the situation in Roscommon reflects a broader trend impacting the rental landscape across Ireland. Across Connacht, overall market rents climbed 7.7% year-on-year, driven by a severe lack of available housing options. Roscommon’s experience underscores the need for focused attention from policymakers to address the unique challenges of the rental sector, particularly in less urban areas.
The rental market’s challenges are exacerbated by dwindling availability. After an 18-month period of increasing housing stock, the number of homes available for rent across Ireland has begun to fall. As of November 1st, there were just over 2,400 homes available for rent nationwide—a reduction of 14% from the previous year and significantly below historical averages.
Ronan Lyons, Associate Professor of Economics at Trinity College Dublin and a leading commentator on the housing crisis, emphasises the urgency of prioritising the rental sector, stating, “The new government has to give the same priority to the rental sector as has been given to owner-occupiers and social housing over the past few years. Otherwise, it’s hard to see when conditions will change.”
In Roscommon, where the rental market is feeling the pressure, the increase in rent can be attributed to limited housing supply. With just over 200 homes available to rent in Connacht, including Roscommon, the region is grappling with a shortage that contributes to rising prices. This scarcity is more pronounced in rural areas, where available rentals remain significantly lower than the averages seen from 2015 to 2019.
