Danny Healy-Rae: Defending Long-Standing Kerry Airbnbs
Danny Healy-Rae spoke this evening about tourism in Kerry and the impact of government policy on short-term lettings. He praised local tourism businesses and urged that homeowners who have operated Airbnbs for many years be allowed to continue.
Tourism and economy
Danny Healy-Rae opened by stressing that tourism is a major money spinner in Kerry. He thanked hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars and the many workers - Jarvis, boardmen and the busmen - whose professionalism keeps visitors returning to Killarney.
Government policy and Airbnbs
He warned that the government appears to have an issue with Airbnbs even though short-term lettings bring business into the county. He told the Minister that homeowners should decide how to use their own properties and that the state should not make that decision for them.
Protecting long-standing hosts
Healy-Rae argued that many people have run Airbnbs for decades and that those who have been operating for more than seven years are entitled to continue. He called for measures to further and better those hosts so they can remain in business and continue contributing to Kerry's tourism offer.
Local consequences
The address positioned the defence of long-standing Airbnb hosts as part of safeguarding Kerry's tourism product and local livelihoods. Healy-Rae framed the issue as a choice between central regulation and protecting local families and businesses that rely on short-term lettings.
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Thank you very much Les Comhairle. I'm glad to get the opportunity to talk on this very important topic here this evening. Tourism is a major money spinner in Kerry for businesses and I want to thank the businesses of Kerry because they do do it so much better than anywhere else. Our hotels, our guesthouses, our restaurants, our bars, all the entities that we have in tourism, our Jarvis, our boardmen, the busmen and they all do their work so professionally that's why people keep coming back to Killarney. We have an issue though, the government seems to have an issue with Airbnbs and that's a great way for people in Kerry to bring business into our county because people come for that product and I think that the person that owns a house it should be his decision and not the government's decision that he use it whichever way he wanted. Many people have been doing Airbnbs for over 20 years, some of them are at it for six or seven years but I say to you Minister that all those that have been at it for more than seven years are entitled to keep at it and we need to further and better those people and ensure that they continue in business.
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