Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Robinson for his presentation, at the start of which he stated that Ireland lacked an up-to-date regulatory framework, particularly in terms of home sharing, which tells me that Airbnb recognises that there are many problems.

I have not seen how people sign up to Airbnb. If it uses a form, what does that entail? I assume it registers everyone using that form.

Mr. Robinson has heard our points about houses not necessarily having the required planning permission. Does Airbnb cover that area? Does it use student-specific accommodation? Such accommodation received planning permission for a particular reason. In some cases, it can be lying idle for a time. What sort of people are involved normally? Do many people use Airbnb as a business or is it mainly used by ordinary people who want to share their homes and get a small surplus? What is the ratio? How does Airbnb deal with management companies in apartment blocks and elsewhere? Must it make representations to them? Does Airbnb have designated inspectors to visit properties and determine that they are up to standard and everything is running smoothly in order that anti-social issues, in terms of which one often finds problems, do not arise?