Short-term letting regulation
Deputy Casey argued that short-term letting platforms were contributing to the housing shortage while families and tourists competed for accommodation. The Taoiseach said the Minister would outline plans to a committee, including planning-rule changes that would allow limited home sharing but require permission for buy-to-let properties.
My question relates to the regulation of short-term letting platforms. We have thousands of children and homeless families living in hotel rooms every night. At the same time, tourists, visitors and corporate business are accommodated through short-term letting platforms in homes which are suitable for homeless families. We raised this at an Oireachtas committee more than two and a half years ago, which then did a detailed report on the regulation required in respect of these platforms. A month ago, my colleague, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, asked the Minister a direct question on this. The Minister replied:
I am about to finalise proposals on this. Had this question come this day next week, I think we would be talking about the changes that [we] would have already been made.
That week is well gone. The month is gone and we still have no regulation of short-term letting platforms.
Comment on this
I understand the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will outline our plans to the joint committee which is meeting tomorrow. It was discussed at Cabinet on Tuesday.
Essentially, it will bring about a change to planning regulations, whereby it will be still okay for somebody to rent out a room in their own house through Airbnb or to rent out their own house through Airbnb for up to three months. However, somebody with a buy-to-let property, for example, would need permission to do that. The Minister will outline in detail what is intended and how he would propose to implement it to the committee on Thursday.