Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

We are not placing rent supplement recipients in an unworkable and vulnerable position. The Department will continue to co-operate with any initiatives taken by the PRTB to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act. It seems that the best way to address this issue is to ensure that the PRTB is in a position to enforce the law vigorously and that it is aware of landlords who have tenancies. The law should be fully enforced. Landlords have an obligation to register with the PRTB and it is unacceptable that landlords would have tenancies and not be registered. I will examine this issue. I had a meeting this morning with representatives of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. I will meet representatives of Simon, Threshold and the Society of St. Vincent De Paul together - this grouping was part of Focus Ireland - and I will also meet Threshold on its own at its request. I will actively pursue this matter in the coming month. I intend to address all the issues that exist.

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