Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
572. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if it will be a requirement of the proposed Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2025 that all units that qualify to be let under the legislation will require planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12535/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in the new Policy Statement 'A new Era for Irish Tourism', which I published in December, the introduction of regulatory controls for the Short Term Letting Sector is to ensure the tourism sector develops in a way that recognises and is complementary to the wider needs of local communities, both economically and socially.
Last April, I secured Government approval for the General Scheme of the Short Term Letting and Tourism (STLT) Bill. When enacted, this Bill will provide the statutory basis for the introduction of regulatory controls including a national register for the Short Term Letting sector. Fáilte Ireland will implement and manage this register ensuring compliance with the EU Short Term Rental Regulation which comes into effect on 20 May this year.
I am pleased that the tourism sector has broadly welcomed the introduction of a Short Term Letting register.
The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D. has responsibility for planning matters and has committed to publishing a National Planning Statement on Short Term Letting to clarify how planning law applies to short-term lets. This statement will be published in advance of the enactment of the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill. On 9 February I reached an agreement in principle with Minister Browne to allow operators based in towns with a population of 20,000 or less at the last Census to be permitted to continue to provide short-term letting accommodation over the next two years. This will allow time for operators to meet compliance requirements.
From 20 May 2026, all STL hosts offering accommodation for periods up to and including 21 nights will be obliged to register with Fáilte Ireland via a digital system and confirm their compliance with planning requirements. Registration will take 5 minutes and will generate a unique registration number for each STL unit registered. This number must be displayed when listing the STL unit on any online platforms.
Fáilte Ireland estimates that, approximately 34,020 STL properties were advertised online in the State in October 2025, based on screen-scraped data from four major booking platforms. Up to 64% were listed as “entire” houses or apartments. This represents a 26% increase from an estimated 26,960 units in October 2022. Given this rapid growth, improved oversight and data collection are essential.
I recognise the concerns of the tourism industry. With the approach outlined, I believe we are balancing the need for rental housing stock with the need to protect rural and regional tourism and jobs. The department will continue to engage with all stakeholders.
