Cabinet to discuss short-term lettings register proposals

Controversial proposals for a short-term lettings register are set to be presented to the Irish Cabinet on Tuesday. The new rules would mandate that short-term accommodation providers, including those listing properties on platforms like Airbnb, must register with Fáilte Ireland and secure appropriate planning permission. This initiative is part of the government's strategy to alleviate the ongoing housing crisis by encouraging more properties to be made available for long-term use.

The Minister for Housing, James Browne, had intended for the register to be operational earlier, but the plans faced delays due to disagreements between his department and the Department of Tourism. An EU regulation required the register to be in place by May 20. The register will cover anyone offering paid accommodation for up to 21 nights, whether it's an entire property or a room.

Minister Browne will seek Cabinet approval for the National Planning Statement, which will empower planning authorities to review applications for short-term lets. He will also present a draft report indicating that approximately 28,903 short-term lets are currently available in Ireland. Dublin alone accounts for 9,186 of these listings, representing 32% of the national total. The report utilized Airbnb data as a proxy for broader short-term lettings.

Browne plans to inform his colleagues that local authorities should generally be prevented from issuing new planning permissions for short-term lettings in cities and towns. The priority, he will argue, is to return properties to the private rental market rather than dedicating them to tourism. While the new register is anticipated to launch in December, this depends on legislation from Minister Peter Burke passing through the Oireachtas. The Department of Housing has previously estimated that up to 12,000 properties could become available for long-term rental as a result of these new regulations.