Ireland targets nearly 29,000 vacation rentals in nationwide short-term rental crackdown

Ireland is trying to make nearly 29,000 short-term rental listings a lot harder to operate legally.

According to an Irish Examiner report, Ireland’s Cabinet considered new rules that would block any new planning permission for short-term rentals in towns with a population above 20,000.

That sweep covers major tourist hotspots like Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Galway.

Councillor Alan Cheevers says something needs to be done about vacation rentals, as they’re impacting housing shortage issues locally.

But he’s not going after the small guys – he’s after larger operators.

Cheevers concedes home sharing platforms have enhanced tourism in Galway, but they are also depriving hundreds of people of rented accommodation, including workers needed to run the tourism industry.

“I’m not after the guy with one or two properties, I’m after the guy with multiple. They don’t pay rates and some are accumulating vast amounts of money,” said Cheevers. “We need to see stronger measures being implemented.”

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on housing, Eoin O’Broin, argued that the new rules won’t work because they’re too difficult to enforce.

“In 2020 and 2021, Dublin City Council and Cork County Council made very valiant efforts to pursue this stuff in the courts. But you have to prove somebody was actually sleeping in a property for 90 nights a year,” he said, adding, “The regulations were fine but completely unenforceable.”

Why the legislation could be one of the strongest in Europe

Minister for Housing James Browne told reporters that anyone letting a property for short-term stays will need both planning permission and registration with Fáilte Ireland.

“There’s always a risk of people operating in the black market, that’s where Revenue Commissioners do come in,” Browne said.

One outlet reported that the legislation could be the strongest of its kind in any country in Europe.

Related: Australia moves to crack down on Airbnb at Bondi

The enforcement teeth are real.

A draft report commissioned by the Housing Agency found that Ireland’s short-term rental market currently holds 28,903 active listings, with Dublin alone accounting for 9,186 — roughly 32 percent of them.

The Housing Agency commissioned consultants to research the impact of short-term rentals in January 2026.

Veteran operators are good to stay for now.

If a person can prove that they are using a residential property as a short-term rental for at least seven years, they can seek planning permission to retain their service, per the outlet.

Operators who skip registration or fail to secure planning approval would be operating outside the law, and officials will be empowered to pursue them.

The measure pairs with a separate derelict property tax targeting 107 cities and towns, signaling a broader government push to redirect housing stock back to long-term residents.