Mr. Patrick Robinson:

I will answer Deputy Ellis's questions first because he asked them the first time around and I did not answer them. No, we do not vet guests or hosts. In the United States, we run some background checks on hosts and guests because those data are readily available. We are looking to expand this process as we can access more and more databases in a free and open way. As an Irish company, we are subject to EU regulation on things like sanctions, money laundering and fraud, which means we check identities against watch lists, sanctions databases and all kinds of other tools and mechanisms that allow us to weed out people who really should not be on the platform.

Deputy Ellis asked about inspections earlier. We do not inspect properties, but the way the system works means that guests and hosts review one another after each stay. I stayed in an Airbnb property last night. I will leave an okay review of the property. The shower was not great and I will let the host know that the shower was not particularly fantastic. I hope the next guest will have a better shower than I did this morning. However, the bed was very comfortable and I will let people know about that. This is a pretty effective self-regulatory mechanism regarding how quality and standards are set, but where guests bring properties to our attention because they believe they are not safe or there are particular issues concerning how it was described, we can take action. We have 500 people sitting here in Dublin and another 800 in Cork who are more than capable of taking action against hosts who are not providing a great experience to guests.

To answer the question of whether we can share data and whether we would, we can do a number of things. We must recognise that we have a balance of statutory responsibilities in this regard. One concerns data protection and ensuring there is a proper legal basis when we share names, addresses and personal information. The new General Data Protection Regulation that will come into force next year is even tougher about how we share information. What we can do, and what we have done in other places, is gradually increase the friction for guests whereby as they begin to host more intensively, we can nudge them in certain directions. In the case of London, for example, where there is a limit of 90 days before one needs to get planning permission, we are suspending entire home listings after 90 nights. If one wants to host for longer, one needs to make a declaration that one has sought planning permission and that information can be shared. Whether that is the right approach here is up for debate and discussion. In other cases - for example, in some of the US cities where the privacy laws and the dynamics are different - we can interact with the registration system instead. We look forward to looking at any number of possible options here in Ireland. The threshold question is the threshold itself, that is, where those numbers should be set and where it is justifiable for those numbers to be set in a way that balances the need for tourist accommodation and the need to protect housing.

One other question was asked which I have completely forgotten. I think it was from the Chairman. Did I answer it?