Dublin councillors agree to ban Airbnb-style lockboxes from next month

Sarah Slater

Lockboxes used to store keys for Airbnb-style holiday lets in Dublin will no longer be allowed to be attached to permanent structures in public spaces, such as poles and bike stands.

A new Dublin City Council policy was passed on Monday night by councillors at the monthly meeting of the local authority.

A report into the issue of lockboxes or key holders was brought before the council by acting executive manager Brendan O’Brien.

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said at the meeting that the council has “for a long time tried to deal with the issue on our streets.”

The veteran councillor pointed out that “many of these lockboxes are associated with illegal bed and breakfasts, drug dealing which are used to hide drugs and money, as well as prostitution.”

He said he was “very pleased” the council was going to remove the lockboxes, but was “disappointed that there is a stay of execution of six weeks to allow those who ever put them [lockboxes] to remove them. What is illegal is illegal and at the end of the day they should be removed immediately.”

Labour councillor Dermot Lacey said both he and Cllr Flynn raised the issue around three years ago to the council and that it is “only fair to tourists coming into the city who expect to find keys to where they are staying in a lockbox” and to have “a lead in time of six weeks” before they are removed.

Cllr Lacey said lockboxes were dirty and unsightly, as well as being trip hazards. “Well done to the traffic and mobility committee for getting this through and to the council for delivering on it. I think it’s a positive move.”

Sinn Féin councillor Ciarán Ó Meachair said the lockboxes were a “real symbol” of how “housing has been turned over to corporate organizations such as Airbnb and short-term rentals. I think it doesn’t solve the problem of Airbnb in Dublin but I think it’s a step in the right direction.”

Cllr Janet Horner said Dubliners were “really keen to see these [lockboxes] gone” and that she hoped that there would be a “proactive” approach to removing them “with clippers or angle grinders” once the policy is enacted.

Social Democrats councillor Cat O’Driscoll reiterated that the new rule does not affect lockboxes on private property.

The acting executive manager reassured councillors that lockboxes would be "removed straight away” when any are reported to the council by public representatives and members of the public.

Mr O’Brien added that they have attempted “to the best of their ability reached out to operators of which there are several and not just Airbnb” over the issue and to date “we haven’t had much feedback from them but we do intend to keep on with that process”.