Tax incentives for clusters of holiday homes in traditional seaside resort areas should be redirected to schemes which help to rejuvenate towns and villages rather than damage the coastline, according to a policy statement by An Taisce.
Given appropriate siting, scale and design, the trust's Natural Environment Committee said, such developments could provide direct economic and social benefit to local communities without eroding the amenities of a vulnerable coastline.
The statement was prompted by controversy over the large number of holiday-home clusters proposed for coastal areas to capitalise on incentives available in 15 designated resorts, including Achill Island, Co Mayo, Kilkee, Co Clare, and Enniscrone, Co Sligo.
According to An Taisce, "sustainable communities are a prerequisite of sustainable tourism in the landscape. New multiple coastal holiday homes outside these communities do not represent good management of a resource that is limited and vanishing at an alarming rate.
"While An Taisce supports limited holiday-home developments within existing towns and villages - as it supports the sensitive restoration of existing buildings for holiday homes - it opposes the development of multiple holiday homes outside our towns and villages."
Mr Tony Lowes, secretary of the trust's west Cork branch and recently-elected chairman of its Natural Environment Committee at national level, emphasised that An Taisce opposed developments on the seaward side of the road in scenic coastal areas or other "intrusive locations".
Last June the Department of Tourism and Trade said it was carrying out a review of the tax incentives for designated resorts. The proliferation of holiday-home clusters, as opposed to hotels and other facilities, was expected to come under close scrutiny.
