How EU Affect Irish Legislation

The ISCF CEO spent the week of 22- 27/06 in Brussels on behalf of the self-catering sector in Ireland, with temperatures reaching 37 C at times in Belgium it was a hot week. The EU Parlement decisions has an affect on all EU countries and we have to feed into MEP’s and Officails to influence the decisions. The Europarlement committee on Affordable Housing visited Ireland at the start of June 2026.

Roundtable on Short Term Rentals in Parlement

On 23/06  a roundtable discussion on Short Term Rentals : A local Perspective was held by MEP Giménez Larras Rapporteur for the HOUS Committee reporting on the housing crisis in the EU. Some other MEPS attended the talks with Catherine Starkie Sec-Gen or the EHHA moderation the discussion. Later this year in September the Affordable Housing Act is being introduced by the EU to address the housing crisis across the EU. The STR sector is an easy target to blame for the housing crisis, though in most countries the number of STR is below 1% of the housing stock

There were 14 AirBnB hosts from 7 counties telling their individual stories. Many had renovated old family buildings and this is their main income. Most were female over 50 years of age, or retired people house sharing to help their pensions. Some MEPS spoke up including Cynthia ní Mhurchú of Ireland. Lorna Cahill and Susan Devane from Ireland spoke well of their personal situations. National Association CEO’s from Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, Belgium and Ireland spoke about the regulations which are threatening the livelihood of SME family businesses, mostly run by women.

Máire ní Mhurchú met MEP’s from Ireland to discuss the issues facing us in Ireland, some sent their staff to meetings showing they take the issue in Ireland very seriously. At a time when the Minister for Housing has announced that his Draft National Planning Statement* was the toughest enforcement in the EU*. He blamed Brussels for the delay of over 2 years for issuing these guidelines*, which left MEP’s bemused, as the EU Register for STR is focused on data gathering. has no planning requirement as part of the Register.

There is no planning requirement at EU level said Luke Ming Flanagan MEP  was very worried on how this would effect the viability of SME tourism businesses in the West of Ireland.  Billy Kelleher MEP called the proposals from the Irish Government Gold plating of the Register for STR Bill. We are the only country in the EU trying to introduce a Register, which is a complex technology, as data has to be in a format from all EU counties in the same manner.

Irish Government Proposals for Self-Catering

The Irish proposals are

* Allow Self-catering in areas below 20,000 population, but all have to apply for planning within 2 years of the Register.

*  For areas above 20.000 population the grandfather rule will allow properties in business over 7 years to continue.

Since this was announced in February there is no clarity on how existing Self-catering businesses can continue in 2027, after the Register is introduced in December 2026. The Draft National Planning Statement has to be approved by Brussels, as it is a requirement under the TRIS notification system. Minister Browne went on media stating this short term letting bill for Airbnb will be the strongest in EU

EHHA General Assembly in BrusselsThursday was a day when all European Holiday Homes (EHHA) members met in a General Assembly. Colleague from Croatia, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, Scotland joined the  Portuguese, Irish, Belgian, Slovenian, Spanish as well as the General Secretary and marketing companies.

Matthew Baldwin Head of the Housing Task Force of the EU Commission spoke to us about the Affordable Housing bill proposals. The Europarl Housing Committee has visited Ireland in recent weeks to see issues on the ground*. German ministers on housing and construction took place after which they issues a press release in which they pretty firmly rejected the EU initiative to regulate housing.*

Cynthia ní Mhurchú MEP gave the Irish persecutive in an entertaining talk and her legal assistant Linda Lee Scannell ( from Listowel) took notes. We did have to clarify that Cynthia and Máire ní Mhurchú are not related, and for many it was the first time hearing 2 people having a conversation as Gaeilge.

The General Assembly discussed many issues facing the sector, across the EU, which are very similar. The strength of being part of an EU group gives us more visibility and credibility at EU level. As a result on Friday when Máire went to meet the Commissioner Tzitzkostas team in the Berlyamont building, she brought colleagues from Croatia, Belgium and Portugal as well as the Sec-Gen of EHHA  Catherine Starkie. I described the proposals in Ireland, and the worry is if adopted in Ireland similar rules can be transposed to other EU counties.

Conclusion

Tourism is Ireland’s largest indigenous industry with foreign visitors making up 46.6% of all oversight stays in Q1 2026. Self-Catering is being blamed for the housing crisis by some, while we have lost stock to Government contracts ( 82%), long-term council contracts or permanent residence, as we are the unregistered sector since 2008. There is no clear data on the loss, due to the lack of a register. Minister Harris recently stated that too many local councils think they have done enough on housing*. The ISCF issued a statement saying the planning regulations attached to the Register for STR are enforceable but unworkable.* It has to be noted that the Spanish supreme court threw out a proposals where there were multiple registration regulations* It is the Governments responsibility to provide housing for citizens, through planning and building houses. This has not been done for many years

Office:- info@ISCF.ie      Phone: 086 – 178 5654   Join ISCF Now