We cannot have a situation in which children are growing up in hotels and tourists are holidaying in homes
The Government must begin a crackdown on the short-term letting sector now – it can’t wait for another year for a new registration system to be agreed by the EU, according to Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan.
“The EU is in the process of harmonising a registration system for the short-term letting sector across the region. This process will not be concluded until at least 2024.
“The Government cannot blame the EU for its failure to regulate the short-term letting sector. The reality is this government, and previous governments, have been asleep at the wheel.
“In 2019, the previous Fine Gael-led government introduced a requirement for short-term letting properties in rent pressure zones to get planning permission. This requirement is being roundly ignored by because local authorities have never been resourced to enforce it.
“As it stands, there are more than 16,000 entire properties available for short-term rent on just one website, Airbnb. In Dublin alone, there are more than 3,700 properties available for short-term rental. By contrast, there are just over 1,000 properties available for long-term rent on Daft.ie all over the country.
“We are in the middle of an unprecedented housing disaster and the government has just lifted the eviction ban – which will result in thousands more people becoming homeless. There is nowhere for people to go.
“We cannot have a situation in which children are growing up in hotels and tourists are holidaying in homes.
“The government must do more than wring its hands. It has the power, and the resources, to enforce existing regulation of the short-term letting sector. This crackdown must begin now. It cannot wait any longer.”
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