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Short Term Lettings Bill and tourism

Self-catering sector supports the need for a registration system but Government has got this one seriously wrong

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott

The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

Mon Jun 17 2024 - 00:09

Sir, – Further to “The Irish Times view on the Short Term Lettings Bill: no excuse for stalling” (June 12th), our self-catering company, Cottages for Couples in West Cork, aims to bring 6,000 visitors to our 15 properties in West Cork this year. According to Fáilte Ireland this is worth €2 million to the local economy. We support 15 jobs locally.

If this legislation impacts negatively on our business, none of our properties will be available for long-term rentals and we will have no alternative but to close our award-winning business after 30 years, with obvious consequences for the local economy.

This is no exaggeration.

Does this Government really think that the owner of a holiday home in Baltimore who uses their property for six to eight weeks each year will suddenly decide to move it to the long-term rental market? Of course not. Instead they will stop renting it out for the other 44 weeks, thus depriving the local economy of much-needed year-round income.

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The self-catering sector supports the need for a registration system but the Government have got this one seriously wrong.

There is definitely room for improvement. – Yours, etc,

ANNA and PETER WARBURTON,

Cottages for Couples,

Skibbereen,

Co Cork.

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