Online platforms such as Airbnb will be subject to a fine of up to €5,000 if they advertise rentals that have not been registered with Failte Ireland under new rules agreed by Cabinet on Wednesday.
Tourism Minister Catherine Martin has announced the development of a bill which would require any short-term rental advertisement to be registered with the tourism body.
The bill will update penalties for register enforcement and allow Fáilte Ireland to impose a fixed payment notice of €300 on property owners who advertise their property without a valid registration number, with inspectors also having the option to take the case to the district court. , where the maximum fine is €5,000.
Platforms such as Airbnb, booking.com and others that advertise short-term rentals must also ensure that listings are registered or they could also face a fine of €5,000 per listing.
The government estimates the move could put 12,000 homes back on the long-term rental market, although Fáilte Ireland chief executive Paul Kelly said this was based on international experience in Amsterdam.
He said the Dutch city had similar controls in place on short-term rentals and had seen the overall number of listings drop significantly.
However, he cautioned against this, saying the regulations were put into effect during the Covid shutdowns, so there may be no way of knowing how many homes might return to the housing market.
Mr Kelly said the move would at a minimum allow for a comprehensive register of all available housing stock in Ireland. He added that the agency had hired 10 new employees to enforce registrations.
Speaking at government buildings on Wednesday, Ms Martin said the measures announced are “an important step in reducing the availability of private residential accommodation”.
“These new regulatory controls will ensure tourism development. Addressing housing challenges will also solve the staffing issues faced by many tourism businesses, as it will provide housing options for tourism and hospitality workers in these areas. »
Ms Martin said she hoped to enact the legislation in the first three months of next year, with the register itself operational by June.
Owners requesting change-of-use permissions for Airbnb listings will be given a six-month grace period to do so.
A government statement said the move would help address staffing issues and also create “a level playing field for all accommodation providers by ensuring transparency and visibility across the industry.”
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