Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

As I indicated, the heads of a Bill have been approved by the Government and I hope to have legislation in place to address some of the issues raised by 2012. Tenants' rights are outlined in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. The legislation provides that rented accommodation must be in good condition and sets out what the term "good condition" means. Tenants must also have privacy. The various rights provided in the Bill are available on the website of the Private Residential Tenancies Board.

I concur with the Deputy that Threshold and other voluntary groups are playing an important role in supporting the information flow required by students and others who may be vulnerable to the actions of unscrupulous landlords in some of these matters. I assure him that the issue of compulsory registration is being actively considered in the context of forthcoming legislation.

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