Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
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106. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will reconsider his stance outlined in Parliamentary Question Nos. 384, 385 and 386 of 23 September 2025 (details supplied) regarding the regulation of licensee arrangements in rental accommodation in view of the exploitation outlined in Threshold's ‘Renting at the Frontier’ report launched 30 September 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53902/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004-2025 (the RTA) regulate the landlord-tenant relationship in the private rented sector and sets out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants. The RTA apply to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exceptions.

The dwellings to which the RTA does not apply are set out in section 3(2) of the RTA, and include for example, a dwelling within which the landlord also resides.

Traditionally, rent-a-room arrangements are entered by students and others residing in ‘digs’ or family homes where goodwill exists to ensure that both lodgers and home owners are happy with the arrangement. It is possible for rent-a-room arrangements to be formalised by way of a licence agreement between the parties to a rent-a-room arrangement, including in respect of student digs, but this is a matter of choice for the parties themselves to agree on.

Digs accommodation and licence arrangements, generally, are an integral housing solution for students and other renters as well as an important source of revenue and, in some circumstances, social interaction for homeowners. Any attempt at regulating ‘digs’ or licence arrangements could well impact negatively on the supply of this traditional and important source of accommodation for students and others.

I have no plans at this time to alter this position; however, the RTA is kept under constant review to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

Aisling Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will support short term rental/family run self-catering businesses, and the rural tourism sector, by putting an exemption in place from planning for existing operators and treat those with four or less units in the same manner as B and Bs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53821/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Short Term Rental (STR) Regulation was adopted by the EU on 11 April 2024 and is applicable from 20 May 2026. This Regulation lays down harmonised rules on the collection and exchange of data on short-term rental services for member states, hosts providing short-term accommodation rental services, and online platforms that offer services to hosts providing short-term accommodation rental services within the EU.

The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (DETE) have drafted the Short Term Letting and Tourism (STLT) Bill General Scheme in full alignment with the STR Regulation. The introduction of the STLT Bill will provide a more effective legal and administrative basis to regulate short term lettings. This Bill when enacted will provide the statutory basis for the introduction of a register for all Short Term Lettings in Ireland, which will be implemented and managed by Fáilte Ireland from 20 May 2026.

Following the approval received from Government on the 15 April to generally preclude new planning permissions for STLs in cities and towns with a Census population in excess of 10,000 people, at the most recent Census of Population, my Department is working to give effect to this decision. This involves a review of the current Planning Acts with a view to remove references to Rent Pressure Zones in respect of short-term lets.

My Department is currently developing a National Planning Statement for the short term letting sector to supplement and support the introduction of the STLT Bill. It will consider a variety of factors, such as existing planning legislation, the long term housing need in the local authority area, the location of the proposed short term let and balancing housing need with the potential impact on tourism and economic development.

A review of the current Exempted Development Regulations is ongoing and a four-week public consultation period on the matter concluded on 26 August 2025. The consultation on exempted development regulations generated a significant response from the public, with over 900 submissions received via the online consultation portal.

These submissions are currently being reviewed and will inform new draft Exempted Development Regulations, which must then be subject to screening for Environmental Assessment, before being laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This will also necessitate engagement with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

It should be noted that homesharers are currently allowed to sub-let their entire principal private residence (house or apartment) on a short term basis for a cumulative period of 90 days where they are temporarily absent from their home. Where the 90 day threshold is exceeded, change of use planning permission will be required.