Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2022
333. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is considering proposals to restrict the lettings of full properties and second properties for the short-term letting market; if any such proposals would be in addition to the proposals contained in section 20.4 of the Housing for All plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24918/22]
View answerLegislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 which came into effect on 1 July 2019.
Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on the implementation and enforcement of the Regulations has been undertaken by planning authorities since they came into effect.
The Government's new housing plan, Housing for All, contains a specific action (Action 20.4) - to “develop new regulatory controls requiring short-term and holiday lets to register with Fáilte Ireland with a view to ensuring that houses are used to best effect in areas of housing need”. Minister O’Brien has engaged with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media to progress this action, and a number of meetings have been held between officials of the two Departments and with Fáilte Ireland, and further engagement is expected to take place in the near future.
Funding was allocated in Budget 2022 to Fáilte Ireland which has been tasked with the design and implementation of a new short-term lettings registration system. The agency is currently recruiting staff to work on this project, with the project lead in place. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is also presently scoping out the legislative provisions that will be required to underpin such a system with a view to bringing forward legislative provisions in this regard later in 2022.
In addition to this, my Department is presently examining various options to assist in meeting the urgent accommodation needs of those fleeing Ukraine and also in increasing supply in the private rental sector - including the possible diversion of properties from short-term letting to long-term private rental accommodation - to help meet current housing supply shortages in this area generally. As indicated, all possibilities in this area are being considered and will be further progressed as deemed appropriate.
