Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD has called Eoghan Murphy’s statement on the regulation of short-term letting platforms ‘an astonishing U-turn’.

Deputy Ó Broin was responding to comments made by the Minister for Housing yesterday in relation to regulation of the short-term letting sector.

He said:

“When I heard the Minister for Housing yesterday calling for the next government to regulate short-term letting platforms I thought I was hearing things. This is quite possibly the most insincere statement of his tenure as Minster for Housing.

“In April 2019, when the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2018 was in Committee Stage, I asked the Minister if he was open to moving forward with broader regulations for short-term letting platforms.

“The Minister’s response was that regulating these platforms was not something he could do and that it should fall to the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport or maybe the Department of Finance.

“On at least three different occasions over the last year I again called on him to regulate these platforms as it became clear that short-term letting providers were flouting new planning rules and continuing to let properties on a short-term basis without seeking the required planning permission.

“Fast forward a year later, and the very same Minister – when he has no power to legislate – is now calling for the next government to make regulating short-term letting platforms a priority.

“It is remarkable that the Minister has the nerve to call for something to be done that he repeatedly refused to do himself when he had the power to do so.”