Mayo TD frustrated by delay in regulating short-term letting platforms

SINN Féin spokespersons for tourism, Rose Conway-Walsh, and housing, Eoin Ó Broin, have expressed frustration at the continued delay in regulating short-term letting and short-term letting platforms.

Their comments came as the Minister for Tourism, Peter Burke, and Minister for Planning, James Browne, brought a memo to government on the proposed short-term letting registers and related changes to planning.

Mayo's Deputy Conway-Walsh said: “While short-term letting has a role to play in the promotion of domestic and international tourism, it must be regulated and legal, and it must serve the interests of the local population and local hospitality businesses.

“Sinn Féin has proposed solutions, not to shut down short-term letting sites and platforms but to make Airbnb and the wider short-term letting sector more compliant while easing the availability of rental properties for workers and families.

“Local authorities best know the housing demands in their areas as well as the demands for tourist accommodation. They must be given the authority and the resources to plan accordingly.”

Said Deputy Ó Broin: “It is almost a decade since Sinn Féin first called for regulation of the short-term letting sector. While regulations introduced in 2019 were welcome, Sinn Féin always said they would be impossible to enforce. We have repeatedly called for and introduced legislation to get tough on short-term letting platforms like Airbnb facilitating and profiting from illegal short-term lets.

“Having initially proposed a new approach in 2022 of a short-term letting register, similar to the one operating for bed and breakfasts, the government is only now finally getting round to introducing the actual legislation. This delay has been caused, in part, by the European Commission interfering in planning matters which it has no competence.

“Sinn Féin supports the introduction of such a register. We believe that it will allow the enforcement of existing regulations inside rent pressure zones, and ensure the return of the maximum number of properties to long-term residential use in high-demand areas.

“For areas outside RPZs, particularly with a need for tourist accommodation, we would like to see the 90-day exemption extended and a bespoke change of use planning process allowing people engaged in commercial short-term letting to regularise their lets. This would also allow planning authorities to determine the appropriate volume of short-term letting in such areas.

“We do not understand the reason or rationale for the proposed 10,000 population threshold. This proposal is arbitrary and will not allow planning authorities to ensure that outside RPZs the operation of legal short-term lets does not negatively impact long-term residential supply.

“We also believe that government must accompany any short-term letting register with a new power for local authorities to apply administrative fines to platforms and estate agents who advertise short term lets without the appropriate planning exemption or permission.”