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Average mortgage in Galway now €200 cheaper than renting
Galway Bay fm newsroom – New figures reveal that the average monthly rent for a 3-bed home in Galway is now nearly €200 more expensive than a mortgage.
It’s after a report published by Threshold today reveals a significant rise in calls from tenants facing eviction.
Meanwhile, a row broke out in the Dáil earlier over the crisis – with Leo Varadkar described as a Roman Emperor presiding over the burning of Rome.
New figures from My Mortgages.ie reveal that the average cost of having a mortgage on a 3-bed home in Co. Galway would set you back around €600 a month.
That’s actually almost €200 cheaper than renting the same property – which would cost around €785.
It’s a bleak connundrum for many renters – who are struggling with spiralling rents but cannot qualify for a mortgage – and the gap is ever widening.
Galway City was designed as a Rent Pressure Zone in January 2017 – which aimed to cap inflation at 4 percent.
However, in a national annual report published today, Threshold notes that by the end of December, inflation in the city had risen to 8.5 percent.
The issues of homelessness and spiralling rents were raised in the Dáil this afternoon – where a fierce debate broke out over the housing crisis.
Sinn Fein Deputy Mary Lou McDonald compared the Taoiseach to a Roman Emperor fiddling while Rome burns in the background.
Leo Varadkar wasn’t impressed – and accused her of weaponising the homeless:
But the Taoiseach says there needs to be a balance between rights for landlords and tenants.
Meanwhile Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy says he’s looking to introduce new laws to punish landlords who break or exploit rent caps:
And Minister Murphy says reports of homeless people being forced out of hotels to make room for guests this Christmas is scaremongering:
The proposed new rent cap laws along with other measures to protect tenants are to be brought before Cabinet next week.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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