Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

A similar rent review took place in 2009 when Deputy Ó Cuív was Minister. The ultimate effect of that was an overall reduction in rents of approximately 4%, which effected significant savings. It is important to note that there are people at work on low wages who rent and there are students who rent. If the Department, as probably the single biggest individual player in this area, is a force in driving rents upwards landlords will gain and workers will suffer. The same applies in respect of students. It is important Deputies who are concerned note this point. Similar reviews have had the consequence of reducing rents somewhat. Also, reviews provide the Department with important information. My Department spends €500 million on rent supplement, which is a huge amount. It is important those who obtain maximum value from this are tenants whose rent is being assisted.

On Deputy Ó Cuív's question in regard to the PRTB and standards of accommodation, detailed discussions are ongoing between an in interdepartmental committee and the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in relation ultimately to the latter Department taking responsibility for the administration of rental accommodation. There are currently more than 36,000 people on the RAS scheme. Progress in this regard has been relatively slow. As regards the PRTB, that agency, in consultation with my Department, has created a software solution allowing it to isolate rent supplement tenancies which it considers should be registered with the PRTB but have not yet been registered by landlords. This is supported by information on rent supplement tenancies supplied by my Department on a quarterly basis.

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