PRESS RELEASE – 18/08/2026
Register for STR in Ireland under threat from Planning Legislation-
Still in Draft Form
Did you enjoy a self-catering holiday in Ireland this year? It may be your last one if the government gold plated rules come into force by January 2027.
The Irish Government is the only EU State introducing a gold plated register for STR by adding a planning requirement for existing as well as new Self-Catering businesses. There is a strong political will to get the Register for STR in place by the end of 2026, but this predicated on the EU accepting the National Planning Statement from the Department of Housing.
The Dept of Enterprise Tourism and Employment confidently states that the long promised Register for STR Bill will be in place by December 1st 2026 and all Self-catering properties throughout the country will be registered by 31 December. This is an ambitious proposal considering there is still only a Draft National Planning Statement for Short Term Rental (STR) and no clear view of the revised Register for STR Bill. It is like building a house with no clarity on who owns the land.
The Draft National Planning Statement for STR was issued on 16/6/2026 and is presently with the IMI at EU level and undergoing Strategic Environmental Assessment process and the EU Services Directive notification process. The draft proposals are that all existing STR businesses will have to apply for a ‘simplified planning proposal’ Yet planning guidelines for Rural and Gaeltacht housing will take 18 months to deliver while garden cabins are exempt from planning.
The new draft planning statement proposes:–
* Restrict STR to towns below a population of 20,000, based on the last census and based on town boundaries as defined by the CSO. For Self-catering businesses in these areas there will be a 2 year allowance to get planning permission
* For towns with a population over 20,000 in the last census, they need to be planning compliant before the Register is introduced on December 1st. If a business has been 7 years or more in continuous short-term rental then no enforcement action will be taken planning will be granted, according to Minister for Housing statement.
The Issues with Government Proposal for STR
- The Draft National Planning Statement for STR was issued on 16/6/2026 and is presently with the IMI at EU level as well as undergoing Strategic Environmental Assessment process and the EU Services Directive notification process. The draft proposals are that all existing STR businesses will have to apply for a ‘simplified planning proposal’. Yet planning guidelines for Rural and Gaeltacht housing will take 18 months to deliver while garden cabins are exempt from planning.
- There is no research on the economic value of self-catering to rural Ireland or on the number of those employed in the sector, which is mostly run and owned by women. Data from Failte Ireland in July 2026 stated that self-catering is the 2nd largest provider of tourism beds, and 40% of places where visitor sleep, mostly in rural Ireland.
- The Housing Agency stated in June that based on data scraping said there are 28,903 short-term lets with 32% (9,186) in Dublin. This means the government is deciding on a tourism policy for Ireland based on an issue that is an issue for Dublin. This is an unbalanced approach.
- Ghost STR Planning issues are being ignored by Government. Many group tourism accommodation schemes were built with section 23 tax relief since the late 1980’s. Most of these are now long term lets, second homes, Council or Refugee contracts. In Kerry alone the highest number of Refugees at 6,573, with a group in Waterville being asked to vacate the 21 holiday lets so they can be sold off individually. A visual inspection of all properties with STR Planning needs to take place before planning for the sector is in place, so clear data on the exact number of tourism beds is available.
- There has been no consultation with the industry representative body since 30/6/2025 from the Dept of Housing. The Local Authority Planners do not yet know what the new Registration for Planning and are still trying to enforce the Rent Pressure Zones Regulations this summer, which does not allow planning for STR to be granted.
For holiday let’s the Dept of Housing propose a simplified planning process in areas below 20,000 but will not grant planning for existing self-catering areas of above 20,000 population after December. Until the Dept of Housing provides guidelines to planners this cannot happen, which leaves the time scale too short for existing businesses. As a result, planning applications for self-catering and glamping are being turned down in Waterford, Kerry, Mayo and many other counties.
Legislation Based on Supposition
The suppositions on The Dept of Tourism Website statement assumes that the EU will accept the Draft National Planning Statement for STR under the IMI procedure rather than TRIS. SME Self-catering businesses are then given 3 weeks in December 2026 to comply with the Register for STR, being managed by Failte Ireland.
They then assume this will allow for all STR to be registered. In areas above 20,000 population planning compliant by end of December 2026 planning needs to be in place by December 2026, despite no clarity on when the new rules for STR will be in place. This is unbalanced and unfair on SME businesses.
The reality is that the Draft National Planning Statement will close many SME self-catering businesses at the end of 2026, all the while Aparthotels and Hotel Suites are being planning permission. Is there one rule for an Irish SME and another rule for a large corporations?
The Register for STR and the associated planning legislation is flawed and unworkable for SME businesses in Ireland. We need a Register for STR and TAL or Tourism Accommodation Lets for SME businesses.
We need a National Planning Statement for STR to allow for new self-catering to be developed in Ireland, for wild retreats, farm diversification, glamping, renovation of old housing stock. We should not have to accept a retrospective planning requirement for all existing STR stock, with the planning rules introduced in 2019. What is being proposes is not proportionate regulation.
In Denmark which has a similar weather and population to Ireland and economy. Denmark earning €4,7 billion per annum from German and Dutch tourists alone. Most want to stay in holiday homes, with some designated areas allow 2nd homes to be rented in Tourism Accommodation Lets. Only Danish people can buy 2nd homes or manage STR rental. There is also a flexibility in planning to move from Short Term rental to long-term rental, unlike Ireland.
The ISCF is calling for meaningful dialogue with the industry, ITIC and tourism partners so a Register for STR can be put in place to give clear Data. We need the self-catering sector for 2027 and beyond. Planners need to have clear workable guidelines so new businesses can be developed and existing businesses can continue to welcome guests to Ireland. Tourism is the largest indigenous industry, and it needs to be protected by Government, not dismantled in rural Ireland, based on the needs of Dublin. The self-catering sector in Ireland did not cause the housing crisis and many properties built as tourism lets are already housing people long term in every rural coastal village and town.
For media enquiries:
Contact the ISCF office, which co-ordinates all interview requests.
Office:- info@ISCF.ie Phone: 086 – 178 5654 Join ISCF Now
About the Irish Self-Catering Federation (ISCF)
The Irish Self-Catering Federation (ISCF) is the national representative and lobbying body for owners of self-catering properties in Ireland. Established in 1998, the ISCF advocates on behalf of its members to promote and develop the interests of the self-catering sector across the country.
The ISCF has called for a Register for STR since 2017. Recognised by Fáilte Ireland, local and central government, and key tourism stakeholders, the ISCF works to ensure that self-catering accommodation providers have a unified voice in policy discussions and industry developments.
The federation represents a diverse range of property owners, from individual holiday home operators to larger agencies and groups. In addition to national advocacy, the ISCF is a member of the European Holiday Homes Association (EHHA), engaging in discussions and policy development at the European level to support the self-catering industry.