Renew MEP Cynthia Ní Mhurchú has questioned the European Commission on whether Ireland's planned 'most stringent' short-term rental (STR) regulations risk breaching EU principles of proportionality and better regulation, potentially harming small-scale hosts, rural communities and tourism businesses without demonstrable benefits for housing supply.
The written question, submitted on 3 July 2026, comes as the EU STR Regulation on data collection for short-term accommodation rentals has just entered into force. Ní Mhurchú argues that member states should allow sufficient time to collect and analyse registration data before introducing restrictive enforcement measures, in line with the proportionality principle. She also asks how the upcoming Affordable Housing Act will address measures that lack demonstrable housing benefits but disproportionately impact local economies.
first, for the Commission to ensure member states wait for data before imposing restrictive measures; second, for clarification on how the Affordable Housing Act will fine-tune proportionality of local legislation. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks, and its answer will signal its stance on balancing housing policy with economic and regulatory proportionality.
Small-scale STR hosts and rural tourism businesses could face disproportionate compliance costs if Ireland's rules are enforced without data; housing advocates may see delayed action on housing supply; the Commission faces pressure to uphold proportionality while supporting member state housing policies; and the Irish government's regulatory approach may be constrained by EU law.