Mr. Paul Lemass:

Those are the two that are provided for.

On the question of other regulators, we accept that it is a crowded regulatory space, and what it is going to require is memoranda of understanding, which are also provided for in the Bill, to enable the AHB regulator work with HIQA, the RTB and others to make sure that they are not stepping over each other's areas. By way of example, the RTB is very clear what areas of tenancy-landlord relationships are governed by the RTB legislation, and the AHB regulator would be very clear that it did not have a role in that. Memoranda of understanding would be the way to proceed, and that is the clear expectation and it is provided for in the Bill.

On the question of the impact of this on reclassification, to be clear, this Bill is about the regulation to protect tenancies and to protect assets. Reclassification is a separate accounting exercise. However, this issue has been discussed at length in the interim regulatory committee, and the view of that committee, of which I am a member, is that there is nothing in this which would hinder reclassification, and indeed, it would probably strengthen reclassification to be able to say that we have a well-regulated sector on a statutory basis.

The timescale for legislation is more in the committee's hands than in ours, but we would be very keen to get this legislation adopted as quickly as possible. It is in gestation now for four or five years. We would hope to get this through before Christmas, but we are in the committee's hands on that.

On how to prepare, in general AHBs have been very good. They have engaged with the voluntary regulator, and they have worked to comply with the standards. I think we only have 11 AHBs which are working through an engagement process, and all of the others that have registered with the regulator are in a satisfactory assessment. Obviously, for those which have not registered with the regulator, we prefer if they registered, but once the legislation is enacted, they are all deemed to be registered - all 500 plus of them and not just the ones that are co-operating with the voluntary code.