Carlow and Macroom are the latest areas to be added to the list of Rent Pressure Zones.
It means that, from today, rent increases will be limited to a maximum of 4% per year in the areas covered
It comes as a report from the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) shows average national rent is now 7% higher compared to this time last year.
During the April-June period (Q2) of 2019, the standardised national average rent was €1,202 per month.
In Dublin, the average rent of €1,713 marks a 7.1% increase compared to the previous year.
Rents are lower outside the capital, but seven counties - Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Louth, Meath and Wicklow - have average rents exceeding or equaling €1,000 per month.
Director of the RTB, Rosalind Carroll, says rents still vary greatly around the country.
She explained: "If you look outside of Dublin, the lowest rent there is €489 per month - that's in the Lifford area in Co Donegal.
"Whereas if you look in Dublin, it's €2,328 in the Stillorgan area - so you're looking at very, very different rents in some parts of the country."
