It’s claimed that the homelessness crisis could be halved if some of the properties on Air Bnb came on stream in the rental market.
Department of Housing officials claim the short-term letting site is having an “adverse impact” on the rental market – while new figures from homeless charity Focus Ireland reveal they helped a record number of people last year.
Clare FM’s James Mulhall has more:
The housing and homelessness crisis continues to dominate, after the new Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy said the July 1st deadline to end emergency accommodation for families will not be met.
650 families were still in hotels and B&Bs at the end of May and it’s expected that they’ll be moved in the coming weeks or told about their alternative accommodation.
During an Oireachtas housing committee debate, officials claimed short-term letting site Air Bnb is having an “adverse impact” on the rental market and playing a part in the current crisis.
Head of advocacy at Focus Ireland Mike Allen told Clare FM’s Morning Focus he doesn’t attribute full blame to Air Bnb but it must be regulated.
But a West Clare Tourism consultant is warning against damaging the Air Bnb market, saying many rural towns rely heavily on the facility.
Former Chair of Loop Head Tourism, business man Cillian Murphy says regulation isn’t the issue.
