There are over 1,000 properties available on Airbnb across Galway city and county – at a time when long-term rental properties for individuals and families remained at a premium.

Figures published by the national housing charity Threshold revealed that Galway had 292 hosts, advertising 1,009 properties across the city and county.

Ironically, those figures come in the same week that Galway County Council revealed that the vacancy rate for its housing stock was at an all-time low last year after a record number of house keys were allocated to people on the waiting list.

The County Council handed out 502 keys to refurbished or previously vacant homes last year – the first time the local authority had housing allocations of over 500.

But at the same time, those looking to get onto the private rental ladder would have found that – if a spot check from the end of last year is any indicator – 110 hosts had 432 properties for short-term rent in Galway city on Airbnb and there were 118 hosts with 577 Airbnb rentals in the county.

The data – compiled from December 12, twelve weeks ago – was analysed from Inside Airbnb, which collects and collates figures from around the world from the popular lettings and homestays website.

That showed that the number of entire properties listed in Ireland, excluding home share listings, was 20,176.

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