Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Short-term lets are a result of the changes brought about by the Internet, such as people being able to do business online. They have been brilliant for tourism areas and I am sure some of those areas are in rent pressure zones. We have been lobbied by people who let their properties short term to supplement their wages and pay for children to go to third level education. It is a way of making some extra money. The changes were made, these houses may not be rented out on long-term leases. I worry about the provisions on having a licence and securing retrospective planning permission for short-term lets that people are using now. What will to happen to people who are involved in short-term lets as a result of this legislation being passed? Will they have to apply for planning permission to regularise what they are doing, regardless of whether they are in a rent pressure zone?

I support the point Senator Cummins made regarding the regulations that were introduced on changing shops and businesses into accommodation. Such properties were exempted them from planning permission. It is a great idea that should continue. There are a considerable number of those properties. Small wind turbines are also exempted from planning. Will that continue to be the case? Will all the current exemptions remain when this Bill is passed?