Sinn Fein has claimed that a three-year extension of tax relief for landlords, as proposed in Fine Gael’s manifesto, is effectively giving almost half a billion euros of public money to landlords.
There have been various reports that the rental crisis is being exacerbated by claims that landlords are fleeing the market (though a FactCheck by The Journal last year found that statistics put out by the Government to back up the claim were unproven).
The Government has responded by introducing measures which it hopes will incentivise landlords to remain in the market, but has received criticism from opposition parties for giving them even more money on top of rental income.
The topic has come up again during the General Election campaign, with Sinn Fein claiming this week that Fine Gael is promising even more for landlords if they are part of the next Government.But are the opposition party’s figures correct?
The Claim
Sinn Fein claimed that Fine Gael’s manifesto has promised an extra half a billion euros to landlords.
“Fine Gael are promising that, if reelected, they will hand over half a billion Euro of public money to landlords,” read a 17 November post on X by Sinn Fein, quoting the party’s finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty.
A link on the post brings users to a press release that quotes Doherty as saying: “Fine Gael have outlined in their manifesto an additional €480m in tax breaks for landlords over three years.”
The Evidence
Firstly, a look at Fine Gael’s manifesto (which was published last weekend) shows that although there is no explicit reference to a half a billion euros figure (or 480 million euros) for landlords, there is a proposal to “extend landlord tax relief”.
This is a reference to the Landlord Tax Credit (technically called the Residential Premises Rental Income Relief, or RPRIR) that was introduced in the Budget 2024; that budget said the measure would apply from 2024 to 2027 inclusive.
This credit allows landlords to not pay a portion of tax worth up to 20% of a their net rental income in a year, provided that figure does not exceed a certain threshold.
It was worth 600 euros per landlord in 2024, 800 euros per landlord in 2025; it will be worth 1,000 euros per landlord in both 2026 and 2027, according to Budget 2024.
Although Fine Gael’s manifesto says the party plans to extend the credit, the details in the text simply read: “Extend Landlord Tax Credit: Continue the Landlord Tax Credit until 2030 for landlords who stay in the rental market.”
So, where does the figure of 480 million euros come from?
Sinn Fein claimed that Fine Gael promises to pay an additional 160m euros per year from 2028 to 2030 (or 480 million euros in total).
The party told The Journal that this was outlined on page 117 of the party’s manifesto.
“The tax expenditure already exists at present,” a Sinn Fein spokesperson said.
“Fine Gael plans to continue the relief in 2026 and 2027, so they will hand over 303m euros in those years and a further 480m euros subsequently (2028-30).”
Page 117 of the Fine Gael manifesto does show a figure of 160 million euros on a list called “Tax Package”, which does not include an indication of a timescale.
Fine Gael was asked by The Journal about how the figures in their manifesto should be interpreted, but no response was received by the time of publication.
However, a separate chart on page 116 suggests that the cost will occur over the entire course of a future government (if Fine Gael is elected and the measure is introduced as outlined).
The chart is labelled Budgetary Package 2026-2030, and contains a line referring to Fine Gael’s proposed “Tax Package”, costed at 7 billion euros (which matches a rounded reference to a 7.028 billion euros figure on page 117, which includes the 160 million euros landlord tax relief).
In the case of the extension to landlord relief, this is likely to be the total cost over the years 2028, 2029, and 2030.
This is because 2026 and 2027 were already announced in Budget 2025 (and so are not an extension).
Interpreted this way, the actual cost of the extension would be about 53.3 million euros a year over three years.
So it appears that Sinn Fein are incorrect in claiming that the figure is worth 480 million euros; instead Fine Gael appear to have announced an additional 160m euros, one third of that figure.
But that isn’t actually the case, because of the way manifestos like this are presented.
Fine Gael clarified to The Journal that individual measures like this are only presented in manifestos with the amount they cost in a single year – something that is standard practice for recurring expenses.
The party confirmed that the 160 million euros figure was for each of 2028, 2029 and 2030.
However, a Fine Gael spokesperson told The Journal that the measure is a relief on tax that landlords have to pay, rather than “public money” being handed over to landlords.
“Fine Gael recognises that a thriving rental market needs a balance of support for landlords to keep properties available for long-term tenancies,” the party said.
Verdict
Sinn Fein claimed that Fine Gael’s manifesto has pledged an additional half a billion euros to landlords if it gets into Government.
A press release by Sinn Fein stated that Fine Gael is set to give 480 million euros to landlords over three years.
Fine Gael’s manifesto pledges to expand the Landlord Tax Credit for the years 2026 to 2030 at a cost of €160 million.
The credit has already been set for 2026 and 2027, so the 160 million euros cost will be for the three subsequent years.
Although Fine Gael’s manifesto reads like the cost will be 160 million euros for all three years combined, a party spokesperson clarified that measures like this are listed in manifestos as the amount they will cost in a single year.
They said that the 160 million euros would be spent in each year from 2028 to 2030 – which would be equivalent to a total of 480 million euros.
Sinn Fein’s claim that Fine Gael’s manifesto pledges an additional half a billion euros to landlords is therefore true. As per our verdict guide, this means the claim is accurate, and is not missing any significant details or context.
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