Proposed Legislation
Dail Éireann — 2026-05-20
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Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (FF), Carlow-Kilkenny

I thank the Deputy for highlighting this important issue. I am taking this on behalf the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has drafted the general scheme of the short-term letting and tourism, STLT, Bill in full alignment with the EU short-term rental regulation, which is what the Deputy is talking about. We have a collaborative approach between enterprise and tourism. The introduction of the STLT Bill will provide a more effective legal and administrative basis to regulate short-term lettings.
The Bill, when enacted, will provide a statutory basis for the introduction of a register for all short-term lettings in Ireland, which will be implemented and managed by Fáilte Ireland. All short-term letting accommodation providers will be required to register with Fáilte Ireland. As part of the registration process, accommodation providers will need to confirm that they are planning compliant, one of the issues the Deputy mentioned.
The Government has approved a threshold-based approach to generally preclude new planning permissions for short-term lets in larger towns and cities where, often, long-term residential housing need is significant. Further to this, the Cabinet committee on housing has proposed that the threshold be set at towns and cities with a population of more than 20,000, amounting to 25 towns based on the most recent census of population. It is intended that accommodation providers in all other locations outside the largest towns and cities will be able to avail of an extended period to meet planning compliance requirements.
To ensure that there is a clear view, at national level and local authority level, as to the overall policy approach to determining planning applications for short-term lets, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently finalising a national planning statement on short-term letting to supplement and support the introduction of the STLT Bill. The NPS will ensure a transparent, consistent overall policy approach, both nationally and at local authority level, to determining planning applications for short-term letting that will complement and support the introduction of the STLT Bill. It considers various factors such as existing planning legislation, the location and potential benefits of the proposed short-term letting property and the overarching aim to balance housing need with the potential impact on tourism and economic development. The NPS is being finalised as a priority and a draft will be brought to Cabinet shortly. That was one of the Deputy's questions. I will go back to the Minister today to find out when this will be brought to Cabinet and signed off.
Tourism is important to the economy and the Government is mindful of concerns in both rural areas and in major tourism regions where short-term lettings provide much-needed accommodation for visitors. However, meeting local housing need across Ireland is a critical consideration and Government must use every lever available to assist in providing homes for our people, including returning properties to the long-term residential market.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-05-20/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-28T05:50:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-20