Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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11. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the issue of local councils being unable to enforce a ban on short-term lets in rent pressure zones given that they are powerless to gather the landlord contact information or property ID required to bring about a prosecution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55156/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Legislative reforms to regulate the short-term letting sector through the planning code, in areas designated as “rent pressure zones” (RPZs), were introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 which came into effect on 1 July 2019.

Notwithstanding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, significant work on the implementation and enforcement of the Regulations has been undertaken by planning authorities since they came into effect. In data returns submitted to the Department, planning authorities have reported 6,121 instances of properties potentially in breach of the short-term letting legislation since its introduction, resulting in the commencement of almost 3,000 investigations and the issuing of 2,300 warning letters. Of these, 806 individual cases have been resolved to the satisfaction of planning authorities through the registration of properties, obtaining planning permission, or the ceasing of short-term letting operations.

Housing for All contains a specific action - (Action 20.4) - to “develop new regulatory controls requiring short-term and holiday lets to register with Fáilte Ireland with a view to ensuring that houses are used to best effect in areas of housing need”. I have engaged with my colleague Minister Catherine Martin on this matter, and a number of meetings have been held between my Department and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and with Fáilte Ireland and further engagement will take place in the near future.

Significant progress has been made on these proposals, which are being led by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Funding has been allocated in Budget 2022 and Fáilte Ireland will be commencing shortly with recruitment of staff to manage the design and infrastructure for a short term lettings registration system. Work has also begun on scoping the legal changes which will be required and are expected to be legislated for by Q2 2022.