Accommodation crisis for seasonal workers in Kerry’s tourism industry
THE shortage of long-term rental accommodation across Kerry is leading to a crisis in the tourism industry with seasonal workers unable to find a place to live for the summer months in the county’s busier tourist towns.
The problem, which has been a major concern in Dingle and Killarney in recent years, has also spread to Waterville, Cahersiveen and Kenmare for the 2018 summer season.
Hotels and restaurant owners across Kerry who hire seasonal workers for the busy tourist season are frequently faced with prospective staff turning down job offers after failing to source accommodation.
While some hotels provide accommodation on site this is not possible in other sectors of the tourism industry, leaving workers with no place to live in many busy tourist towns.
“Businesses are desperately looking for accommodation for staff. They are crying out for houses in Kenmare,” said chairperson of Kenmare Marketing and Events Group (KMEG), Sarah Durkin.
“I received two phone calls from workers looking for accommodation for the summer in recent days and I know that a number of people who have taken jobs in Kenmare for the summer are struggling to find accommodation,” she added.
The key issue is that it pays better for home owners in tourist towns to rent their property to tourists rather than to seasonal workers.
The lack of accommodation for workers in Killarney has been a major issue in recent years and this year the situation is the same with no solution in sight.
“It is a big issue for tourism industries who are trying to get staff. Getting seasonal staff is difficult but if they get staff the lack of accommodation for staff is an issue,” said Killarney Chamber President Paul O’Neill.
“The lack of availability is the big issue, more than the rental costs. It is an obstacle to getting staff.”
It is a particular issue when sourcing chefs for hotels and restaurants. There is a shortage of chefs in the tourism industry generally and this problem is exacerbated by accommodation issues in Kerry.
“It is difficult to get chefs but if you bring them in they need somewhere to live,” said Mr O’Neill. “Kerry and Killarney are calling out for houses for seasonal workers.”
In South West Kerry the lack of accommodation for staff has also become an issue for the 2018 season, particularly in Waterville where businesses have appealed for houses to rent for staff.
Skellig Coast Tourism Network, a tourism body that focuses on South-West Kerry, says the issue has come to light recently.
Chairman, Frank Curran, said there is a “problem” with accommodation for staff. This is in part due to new tourism ventures in the area including the re-opening of the Skellig Star Hotel, formerly the Watermarque in Cahersiveen, and the construction of a new hotel at Hogs Head Golf Club due to be opened this year.
Both these hotels require more seasonal staff, creating extra demand for accommodation.
Mr Curran says home-owners in the area should see this as an opportunity.
“This is an incentive for people to do up properties. There was quite a low demand for renting in the area but now with seasonal workers looking for accommodation people can do up their houses and rent them.”
The situation in Dingle is also at crisis point and has been in recent years, so much so that this year a recruitment company is reportedly considering the possibility of providing daily transport to ferry hospitality workers to the town.