Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get this opportunity. I welcome all the witnesses. I am firmly and squarely behind the people who operate Airbnbs. I apologise to Ms Ní Mhurchú. She was in Killarney last Monday night, in my home town, but I was not able to be there because of prearranged meetings. I am glad my daughter, Maura Healy-Rae, was there. I know a lot of what is going on about this proposed Bill. I inform Senator Byrne that it is not just Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers who have been against this proposal. We have a little group called the Rural Independent Group and we are firmly opposed to what is proposed, especially in this Bill. This figure of 12,000 is totally off the wall. I do not know who picked it or said it or where it came from because it has no foundation and there is no truth in it.

This Bill is going to hurt very rural communities that were benefiting in a very small but very significant way. Places like Kilgarvan, Gneevgullia, Scartaglin, Knocknagashel or Brosna never see a tourist. They see them passing through. Thousands go through the village of Kilgarvan but they do not stop there. We do not benefit locally through the small shops and it is the same in Gneevgullia with the small pubs. The big bulk of tourists go along the seaside and maybe in places there they are in hotels. Airbnbs have popped up and there are a few of them in Kilgarvan and in Gneevgullia. They are going to be wiped out. They have been told by the local authority that they must apply for planning permission. At the same time, we are being told in a very straightforward manner that they will not be granted planning permission. Why would they spend €4,000 to €6,000 on it then? These bed and breakfasts have statutory rights when they go beyond seven years. Many of them have been operating longer than that. Some of the people who have been on to me have been operating for 21 or 22 years. It is very unfair and unrealistic. They will challenge this in court; they will have to. They have a right to continue doing what they have been doing for so long and no local authority can go after them for that. Maybe if someone was starting up today or started a short few years ago they should have to go through the planning process to get into it or stay doing what they are doing.

As regards the ones that are beyond seven years, there is not a shadow of a doubt but that they have statutory rights. That is the rule in every other field and sphere. If the planning for Airbnb is not adequate, how will it be adequate for long-term lets? Landlords are leaving long-term letting in their droves because the system is wrong. If the Government wants to address housing, including social housing and the waiting lists, it will first have to deal with landlords with long-term lets. They spent their money and went into it but they are now getting out of it. The Government needs to address the problems that are making landlords leave the market. One of the reasons may be that they have to pay 52% tax. Maybe something should be done about that. Many people who have a long-term let property have a problem getting their house back. That should be addressed. Of course, the other way to deal with the social housing problem is to build more houses. That is what was always done. It is not a big number of people. I will let someone else talk about cities. I am talking about rural Ireland and County Kerry, which I represent, and the amount of housing that will be got back from that area. How far from her nearest village or town does Ms Ní Mhurchú live?