Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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With the inspection regime, the best people to do it are the local authorities. They need to be resourced. At the moment they receive some money from the Department I believe it is a contra item. I note that they get a payment from the Department for it. Virtual inspections are fantasy land. With a virtual inspection one can get answers over the phone, or a video or whatever. I am not too sure of the detail around how it is done. In fact, one needs to stand in the place - and I have stood in many of them - and have a look at it and speak with the tenant. By all means, speak also with landlord. The person or the people who are occupying a premises know best the faults in it. With a virtual inspection, things can always look better in photographs. In fact, we can all look better in photographs than we look in reality, whether we are on election posters or whatever, and until one is actually face-to-face it is the same with a premises and a residence. I contend that we should not be relying on virtual tenancy inspections, and particularly once we are without Covid. I just wanted to emphasise this strongly and to make that point.

We have covered a lot this morning. I thank the witnesses for joining us today and the staff at the Residential Tenancies Board for the work they have done in preparing for this meeting. In fairness, the board has supplied a lot of information to the committee. I also thank the Comptroller and Auditor General, Mr. Seamus McCarthy, and his staff for assisting the committee here today. Follow-up information has been requested. Is it agreed to request the clerk to seek this follow-up information and to carry out any agreed actions from the meeting? Agreed. Is it also agreed that we will note and publish the opening statements and briefings that were provided for today's meeting? Agreed.