The Government needs to regulate the Airbnb sector as huge numbers of properties are being used exclusively for short-term lets adding to the housing crisis, a Labour Senator has claimed.

Figures released today by Airbnb show 640,000 people have used Airbnb properties at some point this summer.

Senator Kevin Humphries believes regulations are now necessary to bring more medium term rentals back into the market for families.

Senator Humphreys, who lives in the Dublin Bay South constituency, said: "There are an incredible number of properties across Ireland, especially in major cities like Dublin, which are being used exclusively for short-term Airbnb rentals, while the scarsity of medium to long term lets for working people has led to the worsening of the housing crisis."

He added: "The Minister for Housing has had a report on his desk for six months with recommendations on how we can regulate Airbnb and bring more dwellings back into the standard rental market.

"Such regulations have been seen in many European cities such as Berlin."

Mr Humprhreys is now calling on Eoghan Murphy to immediately publish the report and to "act to curb the worst excesses of Airbnb".

He pointed out that there are so many families, and single people, looking for medium term rentals, with a high concentration in Dublin.

He claimed that while the Government plans for house building are "lagging behind its own targets, regulating Airbnb is one thing Minister Murphy could be doing to help renters".

The Labour Senator also warned that the high turnover of short-term leases has led to residential roads in places like Dublin be transformed into "street long hotels".

He said this is having a detrimental effect on urban communities as, "neighbourhoods only develop with long-term residents. Short-term lets/Airbnb aids in the erosion of neighbour building."

In a statement he said that regulating Airbnb will not solve the homelessness crisis but it will help to bring more medium term rentals back into the market when they are so desperately needed.

The Department of Housing established a Working Group in June 2017, with representatives of all major public stakeholders with a policy interest in short-term lettings.

This group considered proposals regulating the short-term tourism sector and submitted its report to the department number of months ago.

A spokesperson for the Department of Housing said: "The Minister continues to review the group's report. He is also examining the recommendations from the Oireachtas Committee's report on short-term lettings, and has been engaging with other relevant Ministers in relation to the appropriate next steps in taking forward the proposed recommendations."

Airbnb has said that this summer has been the company's busiest summer yet here in Ireland, with approximately 640,000 guests projected to travel in Ireland using Airbnb, contributing €57 million to the Irish economy during this time.

The company says a typical host on the platform in Ireland will earn an average of €2,000 this summer.

The US represents the country of top inbound guest arrivals to Ireland, followed by domestic Irish travellers, the UK and France.