Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This has been an enlightening discussion. Hopefully, the concerns that are being expressed consistently across the committee about the potential to undermine tourism development rather than enhance are being taken on board. One aspect of that I would be genuinely concerned about is the instrument we use to determine where these planning guidelines will apply. I do not think rent pressure zones, RPZs, should be it, to be frank. I refer to towns, such as Kinvara in south Galway, for example. It is a huge tourism hub with a population of roughly 1,300 and it is an RPZ. I do not see how that compares with Temple Bar, to be frank. I know they have both been caught up in the RPZ net, but we should be a bit more nuanced and forensic in how exactly we determine where exactly these additional impositions would apply.

I have concerns, as Deputy Griffin said. My wife and I were biking in Wicklow last summer and we stayed in an Airbnb, which was essentially a shepherd’s hut in a guy’s backyard. We had a fantastic time and felt welcomed. It was a beautiful place. Would anyone want to live in a shepherd’s hut in a guy’s backyard? Absolutely not. Does he have planning permission for it? I doubt it very much. Perhaps I have entered into another maelstrom as a result of admitting that. However, having said all of that, we need find some way of facilitating that kind of thing, which is a huge part.

Senator Cassells mentioned greenways. We are looking now to develop a new greenway from Dublin to Galway city. Much of that greenway from the Athlone to Galway section will travel through villages that I know intimately in rural east Galway. They have the capacity to step up to the plate and provide high quality accommodation to those using those greenways. The last thing we need to put in front of them is barriers. That is all I am saying. I thank everyone for their time.