Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I note the Minister of State's language when he indicated the Department stated that it is impossible to estimate or that it cannot estimate how many properties will be available. This is not what it says on the Department's website, which indicates much more clearly that we will see 12,000 coming back into use.

Nobody disputes the need for a register. A register makes sense; it has to be a level playing field. The difficulty is that because there has not been adequate consultation with stakeholders, it will have a real impact on tourism in rural and coastal areas and elsewhere. I get where there are pressures in terms of long-term rentals. My worry is that while we might gain a small number of additional long-term rentals as a result of this, we will actually see a lot of short-term lettings coming out of the tourism sector. That will cause a real problem this summer. We will obviously have further engagement but I ask the Minister of State take back that there should be consultation with the stakeholders to ensure this is done properly.