There are more short-term holiday lets available on Airbnb than long-term rentals listed on Daft.ie in all 26 counties.

That is according to new data compiled by Newstalk Chief Reporter Barry Whyte.

The figures show some major differences in certain parts of the country.

There are almost 100-times more properties available on Airbnb for short-term let in Co Kerry than rental properties on Daft.

There are also 66-times more Airbnb properties on offer in Co Clare than there is to rent on Daft.

In Donegal, there are almost 50-times more properties listed on Airbnb than available rentals on Daft.ie.

In some particular areas, the numbers are stark.

In west Donegal, for example, there are 572 properties available on Airbnb - with just one rental property on Daft for €2,800 a month.

Comparing Airbnb and Daft.ie data. Source: Newstalk

Dublin

Dublin is the county with the highest demand for rent, with many areas designated as Rent Pressure Zones.

However there are simply not enough properties to rent in Dublin to keep up the current demand.

In Rent Pressure Zones, a person can only let out their house or apartment for a maximum of 90 days a year.

Despite this, there are four-times more houses and apartments available on Airbnb than on Daft.ie according to data.

There are 2,840 short-term lets available in Dublin, with only 680 long-term rentals available.

'Searching all day, every day'

Lorraine has three children and has been looking for somewhere to rent in west Donegal.

"I'm actually living in a two-bedroom mobile home on my parent's street at the minute," Lorraine said.

"Trying to find a house is literally impossible.

"Searching all day, every day; going, looking, talking to people to see if there's any houses available".

Lorraine said she has been looking on Airbnb, where she said she saw a lot of choice.

"There's about 10 pages in the area... we went to one or two people about looking to rent long-term.

"They wouldn't because they're making that much money in the four months of the summer that they can let the house lie for the seven or eight months of the winter," she added.

How much?

Data from Inside Airbnb suggests an apartment in west Donegal could be let short-term for an average of €140 a night.

The average short-term letting price for a house in the area is €180 per night.

Someone renting out a house from May to September for five nights a week could make almost €15,000 in the four months.

Airbnb 'cap'

Independent Councillor, Michael Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig, has suggested a cap on the number of properties that can be on Airbnb at any given time.

"I just can't get my head around that in west Donegal... that there are houses now on Airbnb fetching anything up to €2,000 a week.

"A huge amount of people are absolutely putting out their houses now for Airbnb because they're trying to just make money - it could be greed.

"I think that was has to happen is that we need to have a cap on how many Airbnbs in any community".

The owner of McBride auctioneers, Eamon McBride, said just a few years ago he would have had 20 houses a week come on the market in west Donegal to rent out.

He said he is now going months at a time with nothing to rent.

He believes incentives to landlords could be the answer.

"If the Airbnb has got so popular, then obviously there may be tax incentives introduced for people to get back out of that and go back into long-term rental.

"Eventually it's always about money".

Airbnb has said comparing entire home listings on Airbnb, with available properties to rent on the long-term market, is misleading as they say not all listings on Airbnb are suitable or available for long-term rent.

Additional reporting: Jack Quann