Michelle Mulherin (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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951. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the timeframe in which he plans to have tenancy agreements and disputes arising with voluntary and social housing organisations brought within the remit of the Private Residential Tenancies Board for resolution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38338/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No.2) Bill 2012 provides for the extension of the provisions of the Act to the not-for-profit approved housing body sector, which will bring an estimated 20,000 additional tenancies within the remit of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB). The Board will be re-named, as the word ‘Private’ will be removed from its name. This Bill represents a significant further evolutionary step in the development of the rented sector and underpins the concept of tenure neutrality that was outlined in the Government’s 2011 Housing Policy Statement .

The Bill was published on 19 July 2012 and was passed by the Dáil in July 2013. Second Stage in the Seanad is due to commence on 24 September 2013. I hope that the Bill will be enacted by early 2014 and I intend that its various provisions will be commenced in the course of 2014.