Wexford rents up 9.3% as just 54 homes available to rent

Rental prices in County Wexford have risen by 9.3% over the past year, with a severe shortage of available properties continuing to put pressure on tenants.

The latest Daft.ie Rental Report shows rent inflation in Wexford is running above the national average.

Report author and Trinity College economist Ronan Lyons told South East Radio that just 54 homes were available to rent across the entire county on August 1st.

While that's an improvement on the 39 properties available a year earlier, he said the figure remains far below normal levels.

Before Covid, around 130 to 150 properties would typically have been available in Wexford at any one time, while Mr Lyons believes between 150 and 200 homes would be needed to bring the market closer to normal.

He said the fundamental problem remains a lack of supply.

Mr Lyons also pointed to housing and infrastructure as barriers to people who want to move or return to County Wexford, including issues with water and wastewater services.

He said significantly more rental accommodation will need to be built, adding that Ireland needs a sustained period of housing construction of around 60,000 homes a year.