New bill to regulate short-term letting welcomed by Mayo TD

THE publication of legislation to regulate short-term letting has been welcomed by Mayo Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon. 

The Short-Term Letting and Tourism (STLT) Bill aims to establish a register for all short-term lets in Ireland from May 20, 2026.

The bill was initially introduced in 2022 but was stalled by the EU Commission to allow time to agree on a unified EU-wide approach to regulating short-term lettings. 

There are currently thousands of short-term lettings in Mayo listed on Airbnb, a website which allows rooms or entire properties to be let out to tourists. Last December, over 1,000 entire houses in Mayo were listed on the website - a figure far greater than the number of long-term rental properties available at any given time. 

Minister Dillon said there would be ‘further opportunities for discussion and scrutiny’ regarding the potential impact on tourism in Mayo.

A 2023 study by Oxford Economics estimated Airbnb accommodation to be worth over €20 million to Mayo’s economy in 2022. 

Under the proposed legislation, properties providing short-term accommodation for up to and including 21 days must register with Fáilte Ireland. Minister Dillon said the new register would, for the first time, provide ‘accurate and up-to-date data on the numbers and distribution of this accommodation’.

Currently, short-term letting properties in Rent Pressure Zones must have appropriate planning permission if a secondary property is rented out for more than 90 days per year. Westport is currently the only Rent Pressure Zone in Mayo. 

Minister Dillon said that “new housing policy will generally restrict new planning permissions for short-term lets in cities and towns with a Census population exceeding 10,000, or as specified by regulations. Local authorities, including Mayo County Council, will have the discretion to develop policies for other areas based on relevant local criteria outlined in the guidance.”

The disparity between the number of short-term and long-term rental properties in Mayo has attracted public criticism from local elected representatives and council officials. 

Louisburgh-based county councillor Chris Maxwell (Independent Ireland) defended Airbnb providers at a recent meeting of Westport-Belmullet Municipal District, saying they were ‘providing a badly-needed service because there is nothing else in terms of accommodation’ in the locality. 

Minister Dillon added: “The long-term development of the tourism sector nationally and here in Mayo requires a balanced approach between the short-term letting sector, the long-term housing market, and the broader needs of local communities, both economically and socially.”