Mr. Cian ? Lion?in:

Technically we could not proceed because we have this process whereby, because this affects the internal market, crosses borders, we have online providers of short-term letting accommodation are based in lots of different countries and because of the scale of the potential economic impact, the European Commission has the right to give its view. The Commission is also developing its own set of short-term rental regulations so it wants to make sure that what we would do aligns with theirs. While we have the legislation drafted and we are engaged with this committee on the pre-legislative scrutiny, we cannot proceed until the Commission comes back with its detailed commentary. It has said is that will be at the end of December this year. It could be earlier if its own regulations come in first because there will then have to be automatic alignment. We are caught in that waiting pattern but it does mean that our colleagues who deal with planning guidance in Custom House have a bit of additional time to take on board the concerns of the sector and to get that balance right between the pressing housing need and trying to maintain short-term tourism accommodation in key parts of the country.