Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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1112. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his Department has had discussions with the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government or any other Department with regards to an organisation (details supplied); and the impact restrictions on this would have on tourist accommodation capacity. [34808/17]

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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Officials of my Department's Tourism Division are in discussions with officials in the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government in relation to the matters raised, primarily through their participation on the recently established cross-Departmental/Agency Working Group on Short Term Lettings established by the latter Department.  Fáilte Ireland is also represented on the Working Group.

In accordance with its Strategy for the Rental Sector, that Department has established the aforementioned Working Group tasked with examining the impact, if any, of short term tourism related lettings on housing supply; clarifying planning guidance in this regard; and reporting on the appropriate regulatory approach for such lettings, including the identification of any amendments to legislation required to effect such regulation.

This is the collaborative approach being taken to address unintended consequences of short-term lettings, including withdrawal of supply from the rental market.  Officials from my Department and Fáilte Ireland are seeking to convey import tourism perspectives in the collective effort to strike an appropriate balance between long-term housing needs and requirements for shorter-term tourist accommodation.