Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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316. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he plans to strengthen regulations on short-term letting. [62508/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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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.

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”.Minister O’Brien has engaged with 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 to that Department in Budget 2022 and Fáilte Ireland will be commencing shortly with recruitment of necessary staff to manage the design and infrastructure for the new 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.