Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is a serious issue for approved housing bodies, which are a very important part of delivering secure tenancies for many people who need them. I share the genuine concerns raised with me by the Irish Council for Social Housing on behalf of the approved housing bodies regarding the additional administrative work that will be required under the section. I am not convinced that it will be as simple as pressing a button every year to renew the registration. On the additional penalties for failing to re-register, a single registration should be required and perhaps the tenancy should be rolled on every five years, as was previously the case. I do not agree with the proposed new section in its current form. I understand the reasons for which the Minister may be proposing it, but I do not believe annual registration is required.

Obviously, there is a re-registration when a tenancy changes. If a tenant of an approved housing body moves on, the tenancy will be re-registered. AHBs are not-for-profit organisations which play a big part in the delivery of housing. We should not make it any more difficult for them to operate in the sector. From my experience as a Deputy and spokesperson on housing, it is not the approved housing bodies as landlords, per se, that are posing any of the difficulties we are trying to address within the Bill. For that reason, the section may be unnecessary. I am interested to hear the response of the Minister in that regard. I will not flatly refuse to support the amendment but I would like to know how he thinks it would work for an organisation such as Clúid, Tuath, any of the other big AHBs, or the smaller AHBs that are willing to get into the market. There are currently approximately 260 AHBs in Ireland. I am interested to hear the comments of the Minister. I ask him to expand on why he and the Government believe that an annual registration for the sector is required.