Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697804408491.pdf (Ireland)
Joint Committee on Tourism Culture Arts Sport and Media March 1st 2023 Opening Statement relating to General Scheme of the Short Term Tourism Letting Bill 2022 From Máire Ní Mhurchú, Chair of Irish Self-Catering Federation Go raibh mile maith aguish as ucht an cuiredh chun teacht ós comhair an Coiste Turasoireachta san Oireachtas.
Tá an ngroupa Féin-Loistín na hÉireann ar tóir le 21 bliana chun tacaoiocht, slí margadh direach le LetsGoSelfCartering.ie and oideachas a chuir ar fáil do na bail, atá formhór ina gnóanna beoga aonaracht faoin tuath.

I am here to talk on the effects of the proposed General Registration Scheme for Short Term Tourism Lettings (STTL) Bill on the self catering sector.
The Irish Self- Catering Federation (ISCF) has been a united voice for owners in Ireland for 21 years with the membership made up of over 7,000 self-catering units, mostly in rural Ireland.

The Self-Catering sector is over 100 years old, and has been through many changes from the thatched cottages, to the small coastal groups schemes but the majority of self-catering properties are now individual units owned.
In some areas of the country Self-Catering is the main provider of tourism accommodation, such as the Wild Atlantic Way, where hotels can intrude on the landscape.

A recent survey of our members showed that over 50% of properties are in rural areas and are an important source of family income.

In 43% of cases the rental income is used to support farm or family income, 35% of owners use it to support them in their retirement and others use it to generate college fees for children.
Women over the age of 45 make up a large percentage of the owners.

In Ireland we have no clear data on the number of short term tourist units in Ireland today.

The ISCF has called for a Register of short term tourist lets since 2019 which will quantify the number of units in Ireland and give clear data which can then be used to assist the sector to develop in rural Ireland.
Such a register exists successfully in Scotland and it shows self-catering supports 15,271 jobs in Scotland and is worth £723 million per annum.

with 16, 949 self- catering units and sees 3.4 mil visitors nights per annum.

1 The Rent Pressure Zones were brought in in 2019 with Dublin urban areas only, but have since spread to 50 electoral areas.

There is real worry in the sector that Self- catering owners will not get planning permission in these areas within the present legislation.
At the launch of the Register for STTL Minister for Tourism, Catherine Martin, stated that this would close 12,000 self-catering units.

We have estimated that the financial loss of such units in rental income would be €27 million per annum to rural economies.

A Register for Self-Catering is essential to the development of the sector but the foundation of the bill is flawed as it relies on the Department of Housing providing workable solutions to Planning issues.
The Guidelines for Planners and Owners of short term rentals in RPZ areas have not yet been provided, despite a year of talks with the Department of Housing.

Now the bill calls for all STR urban and rural to have a commercial license, whatever the age of the property.

In Rural areas there should be no need for planning permission.
Self-catering accommodation business that have operated in the tourism space for over 7 years should be allowed continue to trade as should families who have diversified their farm or family income.

We want the Department of Housing to come back with concrete proposals at the next round table meeting, which will support tourism development and allow the Register for STTL to be enacted.
For those who wish to set up new self-catering businesses there needs to be a reasonable cost in pre-planning research when they want to set up a business.

The present proposed legislation will cause many 2nd homes to lie empty in rural Ireland, drive the sector to be managed from outside the EU, and provide little extra urban housing.

Building more homes is the solution to our housing crisis.

Please do not punish rural families whose income includes their short term rental properties.
I thank the Committee for the opportunity to make a statement on this subject and will be happy to discuss it further.

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