Number of staff allocated to each local authority affected by short-term letting regulations to implement the new rules

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Housing; Planning and Local Government the number of specific staff allocated to each local authority affected by short-term letting regulations to implement the new rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

 On 4 June 2019, my Department wrote to planning authorities with Rent Pressure Zone designations (RPZs) seeking estimated resource funding requirements for the implementation and enforcement of the new short-term letting provisions, to cover the period until the end of 2021. My Department wrote again to planning authorities on 2 July and 26 September seeking new or revised estimates following my designation of additional RPZs in certain parts of the country, which extended the application of the short-term letting provisions to these areas. The additional resources sought primarily comprise additional enforcement staff, but also include, inter alia, associated legal costs and IT costs.

Since then, further communication has taken place between my Department and all relevant planning authorities seeking clarification and refinement of the resourcing requests, as well as in relation to the practical implementation of the short-term letting provisions.

Under Budget 2020, €2.5m is being made available to support planning authorities in the implementation and enforcement of the short-term letting legislation.   My Department has now secured sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for this new funding provision.   My Department will be contacting local authorities shortly regarding both the recoupment of eligible expenditure, in respect in the latter part of 2019 and budgets for 2020.

Pending this,  planning authorities are enforcing the new provisions, including the recruitment of new staff, if required, from within their existing resources