ENTERPRISE MINISTER PETER Burke is “determined” to bring the short-term let legislation to Cabinet next week in a bid to free up housing stock.

As reported by The Journal during the week, the bill was taken off the agenda of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting amid concerns raised by some ministers that more work was needed on legislation. 

Ministers were also unhappy with the manner in which the general scheme was presented, with some stating that they didn’t even have time to read it before it was put before them at the meeting. 

Children’s Minister and Kerry TD Norma Foley is understood to also have raised some concerns about the regulations, which will ban planning permissions for short-term lets, such as Airbnb, in towns of more than 10,000 people.

Local concerns have been raised with the minister on the issue of tourism and what impacts the new law might have on the area. 

‘Very worried’

Speaking to The Journal, Maura Healy Rae, an Independent councillor for Killarney, Kerry, explained why she is “very worried” about the introduction of a short-term let register and an effective ban on new short-term lets in towns with populations greater than 10,000 people. 

“To me it’s low-hanging fruit and won’t have the desired effect. The government have to be commended for trying to solve the housing issues, but this won’t sort it,” Healy Rae said. 

Killarney, a hugely popular tourist destination with a population of approximately 14,500 people, would potentially be subject to the ban.

Under the existing proposals to be brought to Cabinet next week, applications from property owners for short-term lets based in towns with a population of over 10,000 may not be approved, Housing Minister James Browne said this week. 

The Journal understands, however, that there may be certain exemptions within the legislation. 

“We’ve only heard dribs and drabs of information. We don’t have a full sense of the proposals yet,” Healy Rae said.

She pointed to research that found that such a clampdown could see Kerry lose out on €72.4m annually.

“This would be absolutely devastating,” Healy Rae said.

“The other point I would make is that we have been more or less already been dealing with massive restrictions since 2020, because Killarney was designated as a Rent Pressure Zone. And that hasn’t solved the housing issues in Killarney.

“On top of that, we have a lot of tourism accommodation taken up by Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers so it seems unthinkable that more beds would be lost in a world-renowned tourist destination,” she added. 

‘Level the playing field’

Others in the area, however, felt that the introduction of a register is necessary and essentially levels the playing field with hotels and B&Bs that are already required to meet regulations.  

This was the view of Sinn Féin councillor Deirdre Ferris in Tralee. 

“In Kerry, we are the premier staycation destination in the country. At the time of the lifting of the eviction ban, the number of notices to quit were so overwhelming and a lot of those properties have since gone into short-term letting.

“So it’s about levelling the playing fields. B&Bs and hotels are heavily regulated, why shouldn’t short-term lets also?,” Ferris told The Journal.

“We are in the middle of a housing crisis at the moment, we have a very high number of short-term lets. This is about doing something quickly to get people out of homelessness, out of involuntary house sharing etc.”

Overall though, Ferris conceded that the majority view of councillors in Kerry is that the proposed register and regulations should not go ahead because of the benefit short-term lets have on the Kerry economy. 

Fianna Fáil councillor in Killarney, Niall Kelleher, said he has concerns about the incoming register.

“We’ve had so much talk of this for several years now. A town like Killarney would be completely restricted as a tourism town,” he said, adding that he would be supportive of the register if “the balance was right”. 

Tánaiste says debate going on too long 

However, it is understood that government is feeling the pressure when it comes to taking action, with the Tánaiste stating last week that the whole debate over the issue has gone on for too long.

Burke told his parliamentary party meeting this week that housing was the greatest challenge facing the country and the legislation was an important measure to balance the needs of our tourism sector and the housing needs of thousands of people across the country.

The minister said 20,000 homes are being rented on Airbnb currently.

He said the legislation would not ban Airbnb but would free up homes for young people to rent, highlighting that the government’s biggest priority was housing and it was essential every minister took steps to address the crisis.

A statement from the Department of Housing said the short-term let register will, for the first time, provide full oversight of tourism accommodation in Ireland with a register of all accommodation types, which from a public policy perspective will be of great benefit to tourism.

The spokesperson added that the establishment of the register will also assist local authorities with the enforcement of planning requirements for short-term lets, which are already set out in law.

“This will see a reduction in available tourism accommodation. However, an appropriate balance must be achieved between the needs of the tourism sector and the long term housing market,” said the department spokesperson.

The Department of Housing will set out guidelines in the form of a National Planning Statement on short-term letting to supplement the introduction of the new legislation on short-term lets.

This will “provide clarity and certainty on the planning requirements in respect of short-term letting properties to ensure that property owners have a clear understanding of planning requirements well in advance of the final enactment,” said the department. 

The new regulations are due to come into effect in May 2026.

With additional reporting by Christina Finn