In accordance with the Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) EU Directive 2015/1535, the proposed Short Term Tourism Letting (STTL) Bill remains with the EU Commission. TRIS 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 during which the proposed Bill cannot be enacted.
This standstill period remains in place, having been extended since the previous extension date, 22 December 2023.
The EU Commission extended the standstill period as it considered 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).
My officials have continued to consistently engage with the EU Commission and as most recently as this week, there has been engagement between officials and the EU Commission Directorate. As part of this ongoing engagement, officials from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH) and representatives from Fáilte Ireland have also met with representatives of the Commission.
A positive response from the Commission, which is hoped for shortly, and the clarity now on the EU STR should allow the legislative process to commence soon with enactment of the Bill in the period shortly thereafter
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.
The DHLGH 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 that these guidelines will reflect a shared understanding of this importance.
The research undertaken by Fáilte Ireland in respect of the identification of properties that could return to the long-term rental market on foot of the establishment of a register is a best estimate based on publicly available listings on the four largest online letting platforms. It identifies the proportion of properties that may be suitable for long-term rental based on location and property type. It is worth pointing out that the 12,000 figure to which the Deputy refers is based on an earlier estimate; the current best estimate, based on further analysis, is that up to 10,700 properties could be ultimately available to the long-term rental market.
This estimate is arrived at without having a fully accurate picture of the stock of short-term tourist letting accommodation; the register to be established under this legislation will address that information deficit. What proportion of this estimated quantum will return to the long-term rental sector will depend on a variety of factors including the exact location and type of property, the property owners’ own decision-making process, and the decision-making of local authorities in relation to planning permission.
In the absence of a register as proposed under this legislation, there is no further analysis available to my Department or to Fáilte Ireland to identify those properties that may be suitable for long-term rental.
There has been continuous ongoing engagement between my Department and the DHLGH in relation to this Housing for All (HfA) action since the HfA plan was published in September 2021. Officials from both departments as well as Fáilte Ireland attended a briefing with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process. As part of the ongoing engagement with the European Commission officials from both departments have also attended meetings with the Commission in June and December 2023 in relation the STTL Bill and the EU STR proposal.
In addition, on 3 February 2023, officials from my Department and Fáilte Ireland provided a virtual briefing to the Tourism Committee of the County and City Management Association on the Bill and on 14 March 2023 an in-person briefing was provided to the housing committee of the Local Government Management Agency.
Domestically, engagement between officials from my department, Fáilte Ireland, the DHLGH and stakeholders in the Irish short-term letting sector continues. These engagements have taken the form of numerous meetings, briefing sessions and an in-person roundtable discussion with major stakeholders and will intensify in preparation for the launch of the Irish short-term letting register once alignment with the EU STR proposal is confirmed and the TRIS process is concluded.
