Providers of unauthorised properties in the short-term letting market would, under a proposal due to be considered at Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, be allowed to seek planning permission to continue operating if they have been active for at least seven years.
The Government is moving forward with plans to regularise the market, although these have been delayed until the end of the year.
Minister for Housing James Browne will bring a memo to the meeting outlining a new national planning statement (NPS) covering the sector.
Where it can be proven that a property has been operated by a short-term letting accommodation provider for at least seven years, and no enforcement action has been taken, the owner will be able to seek retention permission to regularise its use.
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All short-term lets are already supposed to have planning permission, but this has not been enforced.
The NPS is going hand-in-hand with legislation introducing a register of short-term lettings, on which properties must be entered to continue operating on big platforms.
Under the updated rules, new planning permissions for short-term lets in cities with populations of 20,000 or more will generally be precluded. This will cover Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and Galway cities, as well as 20 other towns.
[ How can I check if apartments are being used for illegal short-term lets?Opens in new window ]
A grace period allowing providers to come into compliance with planning requirements runs until December. Those in areas with populations of fewer than 20,000 will have a longer period to apply.
Meanwhile, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien is to ask the Cabinet to fast-track legislation lifting the Dublin Airport passenger cap before the Dáil rises for its summer break.
O’Brien will brief Ministers on the legislation, arguing that the airport is a critical national asset and the legislation should be enacted before the recess in mid-July. He will argue that lifting the cap is key to underpinning economic growth, strengthening connectivity and sustaining jobs.
O’Brien will tell the Cabinet that there will be ongoing engagement with local communities and residents during the development of the airport, but that he is confident the legislation is robust and capable of withstanding legal challenges.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless is to seek Government approval for Ireland’s first national research security guidelines. The proposal comes in light of increased international concerns about espionage, intellectual property theft and foreign interference targeting universities and research labs.
The guidelines aim to help institutions protect publicly funded research and will place primary responsibility on labs and universities to assess risks and protect their work. It will highlight a growing gap in Ireland’s ability to participate in sensitive EU research programmes, where security clearance requirements are increasing.
Minister for Finance Simon Harris will brief the Cabinet on plans to introduce a derelict property tax in 107 cities and towns across the State, which will be collected by Revenue.
The first phase of the plan, flagged in last year’s budget announcement, will be rolled out in built-up areas of 4,000 people or more, with data suggesting there are 19,000 derelict residential properties across the State.
The Government has been critical of the level of enforcement of the existing derelict site levy by local authorities, with Harris set to brief Ministers about its “inconsistent” application. Eleven local authorities collected no income from the levy at all during 2024.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will bring the latest report on quality of life in the State under the Government’s wellbeing framework to Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting.
[ Budget 2027: Simon Harris signals focus on tax relief and childcare measuresOpens in new window ]
The framework aims to measure policy impacts beyond traditional economic indicators, with implementation led by Martin’s department and the Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure.
The report, due be published after the meeting, indicates that Ireland continues to perform well internationally, with improved public finances and high trust in democratic institutions. It cautions that the areas of mental health, road deaths and cost of living for lower-income households remain challenges.
