Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)

I am glad for this opportunity. I am not a member of the committee but I have an interest in and am very concerned about how this legislation will impact my county of Kerry that I represent, especially around Killarney, which I call the headquarters of tourism in Ireland. It will have an impact. We have hundreds of people who have been operating Airbnbs for a long time. If they have to go out of business or are forced out of business, I am very concerned for their well-being mentally, financially and every other way. I was brought up in a political house where it was made very clear to me that if you want to help one person or one side of the community, you do not adversely impact on the other side or the other person. In other words, you cannot put someone up by putting another person down. To me, this legislation is being brought forward due to a lack of housing and long-term lets around the country - in Kerry and the other 25 counties in the Republic of Ireland.

There are many people at this in Kerry, including around Killarney, for more than 20 years. Maybe they do not have official planning but they are at it for more than seven years. Do these people have planning by default due to the fact that they are at it for more than seven years?