The government has suggested moves to regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb in their efforts to address Ireland’s housing crisis as a direct response to concerns about housing stock improvement, despite its impact on tourism and the short term rental sector.
Officials claim this could potentially return around 12,000 short-term rentals to the long-term market but this has not been the experience of similar measures in other markets.
Proposed legislation aimed at short-term lets was delayed previously but is now positioned as a key focus in upcoming cabinet meetings, particularly after the general election in November.
The new laws may impose fines on landlords and platforms for non-compliance. Short-term letting websites will be fined up to €5,000 if they do not remove adverts of properties that are not officially registered.
It is yet to be decided whether Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) should be wound down or replaced by a different type of price control.
A government source said the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill would be listed among “several immediate priorities” in advance of the publication of a new housing plan later this year.
The Strategic Housing Activation Office will be established to facilitate home building by addressing infrastructure delays, to increase long-term rental availability.
