LABOUR housing spokesperson and Limerick TD Conor Sheehan has called on Government to rule out allowing landlords to rent out modular units in back gardens.
Deputy Sheehan was speaking after a report in last weekend’s Sunday Independent which said that the Government is planning to let landlords rent out modular units availing of the new planning exemptions.
“When this was first mooted in February 2025, I warned that beds in sheds were not a solution to the housing crisis. While I accept and agree that more flexibility is need in relation to modular units, we cannot create a system which allows renters to be exploited,” he said.
The Sunday Independent reported that government will allow homeowners place modular rooms in their back garden without planning permission and rent these out tax free for over €1,000 a month.
“It seems now despite their earlier protestations that Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil now think it is acceptable for renters and students to sleep in a shed beside the lawnmower.
“This is deeply concerning because we have already seen numerous examples of deeply unsuitable rental accommodation on Daft and other platforms in recent years and if Government give landlords the green light to rent these units out, that will only explode,” Sheehan warned.
The Limerick politician went on to say that renting out modular units in back gardens cannot be used as a solution to the student housing crisis as Government seeks to expand the number of digs to 4,000 per year.