Councillors in North and West Clare are calling for a credible alternative to the lucrative AirBnB market to be established to encourage more homeowners to let to long-term tenants.
A Clare FM analysis has found that AirBnB hosts in this county are earning an estimated €5m per month, with short-term lets proving to be doubly profitable in comparison to providing permanent accommodation.
A motion raised at this month’s meeting of Clare County Councillors proposes the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, look at a tax policy solution that will encourage behavioral change in property owners to switch from short term lets to long term rental.
It comes as there are currently only 11 properties available for rent in Clare on Daft.ie this lunchtime.
Meanwhile, there are 1,575 AirBnB listings available in the county, with 911 of those recorded as entire homes or apartments.
The short-term rental market is proving most profitable in Clare’s tourist spots, with North Clare recording over half of all AirBnB’s in this county, followed by West Clare with 276 listings.
Kilkee Fianna Fáil Councillor Cillian Murphy, one of the councillors behind the motion, says we need to realise that accommodation use of this kind is part of the housing problem.
A North Clare Councillor insists that Clare’s coastal towns need to be incentivised to become ‘living communties’ as well as a jewel in the crown for Ireland’s tourism offering.
Fine Gael Councillor Joe Garrihy, says that businesses in the north of the county are struggling to recruit staff as there isn’t sufficient accommodation in the area to suppot those jobs.
The Lisdoonvarna native is in support of the motion and feels it should be extended beyond those operating short-term lets to owners of vacant properties in the county also.
Councillor Garrihy is urging the government to adopt creative solutions to tackle supply issues in this county’s housing stock.
When contacted by Clare FM, AirBnB say that across Ireland, the majority of hosts have just one listing and nearly a third say that the additional income is an economic lifeline.
They go on to say that they have a long history of supporting calls for regulation in Ireland and continue to back the development of clear and fair rules today.
