The Government is planning to further regulate short-term rentals on platforms such as Airbnb in order to tackle the number of properties being taken from the long-term housing market.
Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien spoke to the three coalition parliamentary party meetings on Wednesday night, outlining plans to address the housing shortage.
As reported in The Irish Times, Mr O'Brien told the Fine Gael meeting that the Department of Housing is almost finished with a piece of work to clamp down on short-term rentals, which will see properties unable to advertise on platforms such as Airbnb if they do not have the necessary planning permission.
People renting out their home for more than 90 days, or landlords renting out a second property on a short-term basis are currently required to apply for planning permission on a new or retention basis, but this has been criticised due to lack of surveillance, with many homes being advertised without permission.
Mr O'Brien also said the levy on vacant sites may need to be revisited as it was currently ineffective.
In a letter to the Fine Gael meeting, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar raised the same point, adding that a vacant homes levy may need to be introduced.
Mr Varadkar also said the role of local authorities and approved housing bodies would also need to be re-examined in light of the new measures on housing.
The changes, which came into effect at midnight, aim to deter investment funds from buying up large quantities of residential properties by introducing a 10 per cent stamp duty on those who buy more than 10 houses in a 12-month period. However, the measures excludes acquisitions by local authorities and approved housing bodies.
