Brendan Ryan (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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17. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on the impact a company (details supplied) is having on the housing and homeless crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38848/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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In publishing the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Government has set out a practical and readily implementable set of actions to create a functioning and sustainable housing system. The Plan is available at the website www.rebuildingireland.ie.The Plan is divided into five pillars, with each targeting a specific area of the housing system for attention.

On 13 December 2016 , Government approved the publication of a Strategy for the Rental Sector, which delivers on a commitment made under Pillar 4 of Rebuilding Ireland. The strategy is structured around 4 key areas: security, standards, supply and services. The measures under these four headings will be implemented through the 29 actions contained in the Strategy.

In terms of supply, the focus in the strategy is on maintaining existing levels of rental stock and encouraging investment in additional supply. The overarching objective of the strategy is to increase supply and support the development of a stable, strong and viable rental sector offering true choice for households, investment opportunities for providers and reflecting the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords.

There are shortages in the supply of rental accommodation in key locations, particularly in urban areas. In some of these areas there is also significant demand for transitory short-term accommodation. In this context easier access to short term rentals at higher prices may be an attractive option for landlords.

However, a recent determination by An Bord Pleanala in a particular case has determined that the exclusive use of a residential apartment for short-term holiday lettings is a material change of use requiring planning permission.

My Department has, by way of Circular letter PL12/2016 of 22 December 2016, brought this determination to the attention of all planning authorities to ensure that they are aware of:

- the grounds on which the Board reached its decision,

- the planning implications in terms of the requirement for such commercial use of residential units to be the subject of an application for planning permission, and

- the importance of a proactive approach to planning enforcement generally in this regard.

The implications of this case have raised a number of regulatory and other related issues, such as tax liability, residential tenancy regulation, support for tourism, and planning. With a view to providing full clarity regarding the appropriate regulatory approach to be adopted by relevant statutory authorities in relation to short-term tourism-related lettings, and as provided for in the recently published Strategy for the Rental Sector, my Department is establishing a working group, comprising representatives of relevant stakeholders including local authorities, relevant Departments, public bodies and other interests in the area, to consider the disparate issues involved and report in Quarter 2 2017.