Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

If the Deputy wants to question the PRTB and the viability of their analysis, he is free to do so, but I have to take it on board. We also have an issue with awareness levels on tenants' rights, and this is something we need to deal with collectively. Many tenants are being treated in a certain way because they are not aware of their rights. There is a considerable amount of regulation and legislation to back up tenants and that needs to be looked at.

On the issue of homelessness, I take on board Deputy Stanley's point on the midlands. I come from the mid-west myself and it is an issue I will have a look at.

On water metering, the period of 40 years relates to the main part of the architecture which is the boxes and the units. The actual meters themselves have to be checked every ten years or so and that is the difference the Deputy has heard between the two timelines. The main cost is the unit and that is the 40-year lifetime.

Regarding the question of the local authorities, AHBs and targets, as a result of my announcement on social housing last week, the proportion of the builds that will be done across local authorities, AHBs and all of that, and the architecture by which that will be done, will be announced. I have set up a group to oversee implementation, which will chaired by Ms Bairbre Nic Aongusa. All of that will be available next year and will be open to public scrutiny.

On the issue of a planning regulator, the general scheme of the Bill will be forwarded to the committee before Christmas and we are aiming for enactment sometime before the end of 2015. If I have my way, it will not be at the end of 2015 but before that. It is certainly something the Deputy and I would welcome, given past experience.