It’s time for government to get tough with AirBnB – Eoin Ó Broin TD
14 March 2025
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing, Eoin Ó Broin TD, has said that it is time for the government to get tough with AirBnB and other platforms and estate agents advertising illegal short-term lets in rent pressure zones.
The Dublin Mid-West TD’s comments were made in response to a Threshold report highlighting the huge number of short-term lets available compared to a small number of long-term rentals.
Teachta Ó Broin said:
“The overwhelming majority of short-term lets in rent pressure zones are breaking the law. They do not have either the change of use planning approval or exemption as required under the 2019 regulations.
“Platforms such as AirBnB and other estate agents advertising these illegal short-term lets are facilitating and profiting from these flagrant breaches of planning law.
“Sinn Féin has been raising this issue with the Government since 2016. We played a central role in the Oireachtas Housing Committee report on short-term letting in 2018 and supported the government’s regulation in 2019.
“However, we made clear that without proper enforcement the regulations would fail. We called for Councils to be empowered to apply administrative fines on platforms and estate agents advertising illegal short term lets in rent pressure zones.
“In 2022, we tabled legislation giving the Minister for Housing the power to introduce such administrative sanctions. The legislation was passed without opposition from the government in May of that year. Unfortunately, the Minister for Housing sat on their hands and allowed the platforms to operate with impunity.
“The latest report from Threshold highlights once again the urgent need to address this issue. While the Government’s proposed short term letting register is welcome there is also a need to have strict enforcement measures on the planning side.
“It is time to get tough with AirBnB and other platforms and estate agents advertising illegal short term lets in rent pressure zones. I will be raising this with the Minister for Housing James Browne in the Dáil next week.”
