Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is something fundamentally wrong with a housing system that sees families not in homes but in hotels, and tourists not in hotels but in homes. I refer to the survey published by The TimesIreland edition last week, which showed that Airbnb rentals now outstrip long-term rental homes in every county. The Minister of State and I share a constituency. A quick look at Airbnb shows that there are currently 94 properties available for short-term let, while Daft is advertising 12 for long-term let across both counties. That is before we get to the issue of affordability. It is clear further action is needed to regulate the short-term letting sector. The housing crisis is having a disastrous effect not only on our younger people starting out but on every single sector across the country. We all know of areas where large employers are buying up available properties simply to ensure their staff actually have somewhere to live. It is soul-destroying for those looking for a genuine home to see so many properties available to short-term rent for holidays while they are desperately trying to put a roof over their head for them and their family. Our rental sector is in crisis, renters need a break, and we need to strengthen the enforcement of the planning regulations for short-term lettings that were introduced years ago.

This Bill, while simple, will be effective because it will require estate agents and online platforms to advertise only those properties that are compliant with the planning and development regulations. It will also allow for the issuing of on-the-spot fines to Airbnb and other providers who advertise non-compliant properties. The Bill is not about banning genuine peer-to-peer home sharing. However, we cannot ignore the fact that further action is needed. We need stricter regulations to ensure the properties being advertised without exemptions or planning permission are removed from the short-term letting market and there is a real disincentive from doing so in the future.

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