Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
383. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will clarify her position in respect of short-term lettings of properties (details supplied). [52924/23]
View answerOn 21 December 2022 the proposed Short Term Tourism Letting (STTL) Bill was submitted to the EU Commission pursuant to the Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) EU Directive 2015/1535 that requires EU Member States to notify the Commission of any draft technical regulations concerning products and information society services before they are adopted in national law. Such a notification triggers a standstill period of 3 months during which the proposed Bill cannot be enacted. On 22 March 2023, the Department received a communication from the EU Commission which extended the standstill period until 22 December 2023.
The EU Commission extended the standstill period as it considers that the STTL Bill concerns a matter covered in part by the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of 7 November 2022 (EU STR).
As part of the ongoing engagement with the Commission, officials from my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), and from Fáilte Ireland held a constructive meeting with representatives of the Commission in Brussels on Friday 23 June. This meeting facilitated greater clarification as to the provisions proposed by both the STTL Bill and the EU STR proposal.
On 15 November the European Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on the EU STR proposal. It is understood that the proposal could be endorsed and formally adopted by both institutions by the end of the year or early 2024. There will be further technical meetings concerning the implementation of this new Regulation at which officials from my Department and Fáilte Ireland will continue to participate.
My Department will also engage further with the Commission in relation to the alignment of Ireland’s proposed STTL Bill and the EU STR under development. As part of this engagement, officials from my Department and from Fáilte Ireland are due to meet with the Commission again in Brussels next month.
A positive response from the Commission by the end of the standstill period on 22 December 2023 and the clarity now on the final shape of the EU STR should allow the legislative process to commence early in 2024.
The enactment of the STTL Bill will provide the statutory basis for Fáilte Ireland to establish the STTL register. Once established all properties in the STTL sector will have to be registered with Fáilte Ireland. Upon registration STTL proprietors will be asked to confirm their compliance with statutory obligations, including planning permission requirements.
STTL proprietors will be allowed a period of six months from the launch of the Short Term Tourist Letting Register to check the status of their property and/or apply for change of use planning permission from their Local Authority. Those who avail of the six month clarification period will receive a valid STTL registration number which will allow them to advertise their property from launch of the Register while their planning status is being clarified. The Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage intends to issue updated planning guidelines in respect of STTL properties in due course. I am aware of the importance of STTL properties to rural tourism and I understand these guidelines will reflect this.
