Airbnb blamed for worsening housing crisis in Dublin

Dublin’s worsening housing crisis is being fuelled by the spread of Airbnb, with hundreds of homes diverted from long-term rentals into short-term tourist lets, according to Labour Councillor Fiona Connelly.

At the September 23 meeting of Dublin City Council, Connelly secured the passing of her motion calling for urgent action to limit the damage she says platforms like Airbnb are inflicting on renters who need secure and affordable homes.

Speaking after the motion passed, Councillor Connelly warned that the rise of Airbnb has been draining supply from the rental market and that decisive action is now required.

She argued that Dublin must take lessons from other European cities that have already acted to protect residents from being squeezed out of the market.

“Airbnb presents a clear issue that is compounding the housing crisis in our city,” she said. “Across Europe, cities have acted decisively to restrict short-term lets, recognising the damaging effect they have on local housing markets. It is now time for Dublin to follow suit.”

Connelly emphasised that the use of family homes as holiday lets is creating a damaging imbalance in the city’s rental system.

Instead of being available to tenants on long-term leases, many properties are being diverted into the short-term market, leaving renters with fewer options and soaring rents.

“The reality is that far too many families and individuals are locked out of the rental market because so many properties are being diverted into the short-term lettings market,” she said. “Dubliners deserve secure, affordable homes under fair rental agreements.

“Without stronger governance, the imbalance between housing for tourists and housing for residents will only worsen.”

She pointed out that cities such as Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam have already tightened regulation of Airbnb-style lets and have reaped the benefits of freeing up homes for local people.

Connelly said that by comparison, Dublin is lagging behind and cannot afford to delay.

“Other European countries have shown leadership in tackling this problem, and Dublin must not fall behind,” she warned.

Her motion calls on Dublin City Council to identify and implement a range of measures to curb the excessive use of Airbnb.

This would mean putting in place proper systems to monitor the scale of short-term letting, clamping down on unregistered properties, and making sure that housing is returned to the long-term market wherever possible.

Crucially, Connelly said, this will require resources. “I am calling on Dublin City Council to allocate the necessary resources and funds to strengthen the governance of short-term rentals such as Airbnb,” she said.

“We need robust enforcement, proper oversight, and a fair rental system. The time to act is now.”

Her motion received broad support, reflecting growing concern across the political spectrum that unregulated short-term letting is undermining the already fragile housing market.

For renters, the hope is that Dublin City Council will follow through and ensure that homes in the city are once again prioritised for those who need them most.