Kerry County Council says 260 short-term let operators have ceased their business after being sent warning letters.
That’s according to Paul Neary, Acting Director of Planning, Environment and Emergency Management.
Mr Neary was responding to a motion from Independent councillor Maura Healy-Rae.
Cllr Healy-Rae asked the council how it will support the tourism sector in Kerry, and referenced a recent government analysis which suggests over 3,900 (3,946) tourism jobs and €146.2 million in tourism revenue have been displaced in Kerry.
This is due to hotel bed shortages, as a result of securing accommodation for refugees and asylum seekers.
Kerry County Council has separately sent out 350 warning letters to short-term let operators in the county due to government policy to increase supply to the rental market.
Cllr Healy-Rae asked the council to acknowledge how crucial it is to enact a moratorium with enforcement action on hospitality businesses, particularly on self-catering providers.
In response, Kerry County Council said it continues to support the tourism sector, and representatives from the industry have indicated a strong tourism season this year.
It says enforcement in this area will be dealt with in the normal manner.
Adding to this reply, Paul Neary said the council has issued 350 warning letters, and of these files, 260 have been closed.
Mr Neary said some of the self-catering and short-term let operators are in residential areas and have impacts on residential amenities.
He added that the council has to act on complaints and investigate them, and most of the property owners who have had their files closed have said they are entering the long-term rental market.
Cllr Healy-Rae asked how many exactly have led to new, long-term residential units, because if the council can’t see the result of its policy, it’s been a failure.
Council CEO Moira Murrell said it is hard to track if the property has moved across to the long-term market, but it is government policy to try and change short-term lets to long-term rents in RPZs and where the owner doesn’t have the correct planning.
