Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

A massive thank you to both Threshold and the representatives of the letting community for being here. It is really important to recognise that not every property is built the same, not every advertisement is the same and not every unit is the same. Some people are short-term letting rooms in their house, operating bed and breakfast-style accommodation or operating a granny flat. In the area I represent in east Galway, there is a significant amount of rural Airbnb properties where really creative solutions can be found. They provide an incredible experience and ultimately ensure that people who come to visit the west coast of Ireland have a place they can remember. Many of them do not have planning permission, whether they are log cabins, pods or whatever else. It is working, providing a service, operating successfully for the individual and is not causing harm to anyone.

The issue is that we also have towns, where there are terraced houses and apartments. Multiple apartments in a block are being let out as short-term letting apartments and they are in the vicinity, within at least a couple of kilometres or a few hundred metres, of a hotel. The reality is that no apartment, terraced home or detached home in an estate should be let out in its entirety on a short-term letting platform. That was not its intended purpose when it was built. We need to respect the fact that there are units there which are not fit for short-term letting and should be designated for long-term housing. That is why these regulations are important. They are going to provide structure and framework. My big fear is around the whole planning aspect. I believe that when local authorities get their hands on the registration numbers and the details of where all these units are located, all of a sudden somebody who has been operating a successful Airbnb property for years is going to have to go through an uncertain planning process which could ultimately lead to them losing a source of income. I would like to hear from Ms Cahill, Ms Cronin-Falvey and Ms Piner about their dealings to date with the local authorities around planning.