The Irish Self Catering Federation (ISCF) has said that the tourism industry in Mayo and nationally is facing “considerable threat” due to the Irish government's poorly thought out implementation of European Union  legislation on short -term rental data collection and sharing which became law on May 19.

There are 373 self-catering houses and apartments in Mayo which are under threat from this new EU legislation.

Each EU member state will be given two years to legislate for a register in their own country.  Unlike other European countries, Ireland has decided to attach planning permission to this legislation. 

However, planning permission is not a requirement of the EU legislation.

ISCF say this is a short sighted and ill-advised move by the Irish government, especially given the lack of tourism accommodation available across the country and in particular in rural Ireland. 

 The register for Short Term Rental (STR) in Ireland will be managed by Fáilte Ireland and will be mandatory for all who operate in the sector across the country. 

Máire Ní Mhurchú, CEO of the ISCF, which has 6500 units with members nation-wide, says that while aspects of the legislation are welcome and will increase standards she is very concerned at planning implications, warning that self-catering planning guidelines, which will be implemented as part of the legislation, will prove hugely disruptive and expensive to the sector. 

“We are asking the government to listen to us, to protect rural tourism and not to put the 7,000 people who are employed by our members out of a job,” she said. 

Self-catering is the main accommodation type along the Wild Atlantic Way which is worth over €3billion per annum.