Opposition blames Cabinet infighting for short-term let register confusion

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

Opposition parties have blamed Cabinet tensions for a lack of clarity around a short-term letting register due to be introduced in two weeks.

The register is being brought in as a result of new EU regulations, with a deadline for it to be in place on May 20th.

Anyone offering paid accommodation for up to 21 nights will be required to register each unit they rent out, which could be an entire property or a room within a home, with Fáilte Ireland.

On Wednesday, Labour housing spokesperson Conor Sheehan said: “Where is the register? We still haven’t seen it.

“Where is the legislation? It needs to go through the houses of the Oireachtas with urgency.”

Speaking to reporters outside Leinster House, the Limerick City TD said: “It’s completely unacceptable that this legislation would be delayed anymore because of some petty, pathetic row at Cabinet between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.”

Independent Ireland TD Michael Collins described the situation as a “dog’s dinner”.

He added: “It’s incredible to think that both ministers are in conflict with each other.”

The new rules are part of EU-wide changes to data collection and sharing for the short-term rental sector.

The Government approved the general scheme of the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill in April 2025, but it has yet to be enacted.

Anyone applying to be on the register will have to declare the space complies with statutory obligations, including relevant planning permission.

Collins said he had “pleaded” for two months for Tourism Minister Peter Burke to come before the Dail and explain what is happening with short-term lets.

The Cork South-West TD said people with short-term lets are being asked to “sign a blank cheque” and described it as an “outrageous attack” to ask them to fill out a form when “we don’t know what’s going to happen to you when you do that”.

“The whole thing should be pulled,” Collins said, adding: “There should be no signing of any forms or anything until they find out exactly what’s the legislation going to be put before the Dáil.”

He added thousands of people, “mainly women”, are being affected by the uncertainty.