Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 19 relates to rent pressure zones and short-term letting in these zones. It is well established that there are more short-term lets being advertised in RPZs than long-term rentals. The vast majority of those short-term listings are in breach of planning law, yet the owners and online platforms that facilitate them are profiting from what are clear breaches of planning law.Sinn Féin proposed legislation in the Dáil two years ago, which the Government supported, but nothing has happened since and no action has been taken. The consequences is that properties that should be available for long-term tenancies are in the short-term letting market.

The amendment calls for a report within six months of the commencement of this section. This would complement the legislation and develop research in a report that shows what enforcement has taken place so that we have this information. Government guidelines and regulations were introduced for this area in 2019. At a time of rising homelessness and a shrinking private rental market, this is unacceptable. I hope the Government will accept this amendment.