Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I seek a clarification on the circular. I welcome the Minister's comments, particularly those in response to the committee's report. There is something I am not clear about in the circular. I refer to the conditions outlined for an individual applying for a change of use for short-term letting in an existing single apartment. Does the circular imply that all such persons in such accommodation must now apply for a change of use? If that is the case, the restrictions run contrary, as Deputy Cowen said, to the recommendations of the committee because they seem to restrict the genuine home-sharers. Furthermore, individuals applying in respect of non-exempt houses, particularly fully vacant houses, seem to be actually more flexible for what would be commercial lettings. It could be that we are reading the circular wrong, but will the Minister explain those two points if he can?

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