Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 April 2024
77. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media her views on a matter (details supplied); if her Department will provide financial support to an organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18349/24]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the important role that B&B Ireland has had in welcoming visitors from around the world to Ireland for more than 50 years.
The bed and breakfast experience is a unique part of the Irish tourism offering and this segment remains a significant contributor to the overall tourism accommodation ecosystem and it helps to deliver a diversity and range of quality tourist accommodation.??
With regard to the decision recently taking by that organisation, I understand it is on foot of a strategic review by it and consultation with its members. Its decision takes account of changes over the years in the size of the bed and breakfast segment of the wider tourism accommodation sector as well as changes in how businesses within that segment contract with their customer base.
My Department does not fund the organisation in question. However, my Department is currently developing a new national tourism policy framework and issues around tourism accommodation supply and sustainability will be reflected in that policy framework and subsequent action plans.
The growth of the online short term tourist letting model has been a significant development in tourism internationally. In response, in December 2022 I brought the general scheme for the Registration of Short Term Tourist Letting (STTL) Bill to Government. While the Government approved the General Scheme, the finalisation of the Bill was delayed due to ongoing engagement with the EU Commission in accordance with the Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) EU Directive 2015/1535 on the basis that it involved a matter under consideration in a draft EU Short Term Rental (STR) Regulation. That STR Regulation was adopted by the EU on 10 April and the General Scheme for the STTL Bill is currently being revised accordingly.
The proposed STTL Bill will provide the statutory basis for the establishment of a register for Short Term Tourist Lets (STTLs) in Ireland, as required under the Housing for All strategy and the STR Regulation, and I hope to bring the revised general scheme to Government shortly for approval with publication of the Bill in the period thereafter.
