Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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I am sure the developments in information technology will be of benefit, but the increase in the caseload will be significant and I wonder how that will be addressed?

Deputy Cowen mentioned that he receives representations from landlords, whereas I have some representations from landlords but the overwhelming number would be from tenants. There are good tenants and good landlords but there are also examples of bad landlords and tenants. The withholding of deposits is an issue that never seems to be resolved. We need a more speedy mechanism to deal with such disputes because the person needs to have his or her deposit returned in order to move to other accommodation. Landlords may terminate a tenancy when they are selling the property, but the tenant needs to have his or her deposit returned to move on.

The question of repairs has not been a major issue because the landlord had new housing stock but it is now starting to become an issue because much of the property was not built very well. The heating system in private rented accommodation can be a major issue. In general, many who are in private rented accommodation are on low incomes and one would want to be printing money to keep the expensive electric heating on. Landlords have made little or no attempt to improve the insulation of the building. Does Ms Walsh see that having a slot meter for electricity is an area that must be addressed? I see the use of slot meters as a means on occasions of extracting another cash source for the landlord, in other words, the tenant may have had to pay €100 for €50 worth of electricity.

The issue of anti-social activity has been raised. We do not hear about the successful tenancies but only the minority that cause problems. Anti-social behaviour can cause difficulties for other tenants in the middle of an estate. We had a situation in which we had to tell a landlord we would picket his house or the shopfront of the agency that had let the property to a heroin dealer as this was the only way we could address the problem.

A retired gentleman who lived in Dublin bought the houses down the country. It did not matter much to him what happened to these properties in County Laois but it mattered to the elderly neighbours who live there. Picketing was the only way we could get action on the matter. I know I have highlighted an extreme case. Serious anti-social activity is difficult to resolve for people who live in a housing estate but it is even worse for anyone living in an apartment complex. The problem will be bounced between the local authority, the Garda and the board. At the end of the day the matter will be returned to the board because the Garda will say it can only intervene if there has been a disturbance of the peace and in very specific instances. Tenants are reluctant to come forward to complain because a crowd of heavies may live next door or in an apartment overhead. There needs to be a more effective means to resolve the matter. The landlord has a list of tenancy obligations, and the 2004 Act contains one line stating that it is the landlord's obligation to enforce the tenant's obligations. I always use that provision.

I cannot see the board being able to do its job with just over 30 people. They would have to be superhuman to do the job. One of the first cases that the board must undertake, which the committee should support, is to approach the Minister for increased resources.