O’Brien was given four options to restrict co-living months before ban

The Minister for Housing eventually issued the de facto ban on co-living schemes on November 23

Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing. O’Brien issued a de facto ban on future co-living developments on November 23. It does not affect the 3,000 co-living units already granted permission or in the planning system, but prevents developers from making further applications. Credit: Rollingnews

Options to restrict the further development of co-living schemes in Ireland were put to Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing, nearly three months before he issued a de facto ban in late November, records released to the Business Post reveal.

In the months while the ban was being considered, developers lodged fresh plans to add more than 1,000 co-living bedspaces to the 2,000 units already in the pipeline for Dublin.

O’Brien issued a de facto ...