There's been a major increase in the number of Gaeltacht homes advertised on Airbnb over the last five years.
That's according to Conradh na Gaelige and tenant advocacy group CATU, who say the Gaeltacht is being "choked".
The research finds that nationally, there was an increase of 48 percent in the number of homes on Airbnb between 2019 and 2025.
But in Gaeltacht regions, the figure was significantly higher, at 88 percent.
Conradh na Gaelige and CATU claim that the five largest Airbnb hosts in the Gaeltacht own 217 homes between them.
Locally, the increase in Airbnb homes since 2019 have increased as follows:
Maigh Cuilinn 300 percent; Ceantar na nOileán 200 percent; Oirthear Chathair na Gaillimhe 182 percent; Cois Fharraige 106 percent; An tEachréidh 94 percent; Bearna agus Cnoc na Cathrach 93 percent; Conamara Láir 78 percent; Oileáin Árann 52 percent; An Ceathrú Rua 48 percent.
Both groups say the situation is "choking" the Gaeltacht and squeezing Irish speakers out of their own communities.
They're demanding proper regulation for short-term letting, with specific provision made for the Gaeltacht.
Airbnb has released a statement in response to the findings.
“A typical host in Ireland shares one home for fewer than 4 nights a month*, and almost half say the extra income helps them to stay in their home**."
"While Airbnb is not the cause of long standing housing challenges in the Gaeltacht, we’ve long called for Ireland to introduce proportional short-term letting rules including a host register, that protect the families, communities, and businesses that depend on tourism."
"We’ll continue to work with the Government as it considers new regulation.”
*Airbnb internal data July 2024.
** Findings based on survey feedback from over 1,200 Airbnb Ireland hosts between January 2024 and February 2025.
