Handy excuse: Seamus Murphy has 40 rooms for rent on Airbnb and can’t understand the ‘extreme’ new rules. Photo: Douglas O’Connor

An Airbnb landlord with 20 properties to rent in the capital has said he doesn't believe the Government's plan to crack down on short-term rentals will solve the housing crisis.

Seamus Murphy, who is originally from Co Cavan, has some 40 rooms for rent on the site around Dublin's city centre.

He told the Irish Independent how he viewed the Government's move as making Airbnb "a handy excuse" for its lack of action in building new homes.

"I won't say that I was shocked, because I knew something was coming, but I was surprised it was this extreme," he said.

The new rules, to be implemented in June, target professional Airbnb landlords and will require an application for commercial planning permission to use a property as a short-term let.

In areas where there is a high level of housing demand this is unlikely to be granted.

"I can't see what the Government is getting at, at all. The real problem is they haven't built homes. They claimed to have built 12,000 homes and this was a lie.

"They told us there would be 20,000 homes a year. Where are they?

"They're doing this because they have to be seen to be doing something," he told the Irish Independent.

He said he worked with four others, who had 10 people working for them, and it was likely these people would lose their jobs.

"They are cleaners who are maybe on 30 hours a week. It's not like losing a job for life but they are maybe students supporting themselves on that income," he added.

Mr Murphy also spoke on RTÉ's 'Liveline' yesterday where he said the move would negatively hit the tourism industry.

"I suppose it will drive the hotel prices up higher than they are already," he told the show.

He said it was ridiculous for Fáilte Ireland to spend so much money promoting Ireland as a tourist destination, only for a step like this to be taken by the Government.

Irish Independent