Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As I was saying before the adjournment of the debate, I welcome the increase in the number of inspections of private rented accommodation across the country. I thank the Department for publishing the number on its website. I will focus on County Clare because it is the constituency that I represent. In 2005, there were no inspections of private rented accommodation in the county. By 2006, the number had increased to 174. In 2007 and 2008, the numbers were 197 and 134, respectively. In 2009, there was a jump to 601 inspections. In 2010 and 2011, the numbers were 450 and 355, respectively. The jump was occasioned by the increase in revenues provided by the then Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to local authorities to carry out those inspections.

In the examination of the Comptroller and Auditor General's annual report by the Committee of Public Accounts, the methodology of and criteria for activity-based inspections were outlined. I was glad to note that local authorities were asked to identify the particular areas and categories of accommodation being targeted for inspection on the basis of the risk they posed of not complying with the regulations, for example, older, dilapidated properties, properties that are subject to rent supplement payments, properties at the lower end of the rental market and properties not registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB. The latter is an interesting conundrum. If a property is not registered with the PRTB, it is difficult to know how it might be identified by the local authority.

I wish to focus on properties that are the subject of rent supplement payments. As I outlined yesterday, properties have come to my attention. It is a matter of concern to many Deputies, including myself, that State moneys would be expended in the form of rent supplement on inadequate properties. We are all aware of the pressures in the rental sector. There is a fierce debate on whether the reduction in the rent supplement is forcing rents down and whether a number of landlords are refusing to accept rent supplement.

It would be a source of particular concern to me and many Members of this House if rent supplement was paid in respect of properties which did not meet the required standards. While I welcome the increase in inspection of rented accommodation and acknowledge the constraints on local authorities currently, the number of inspections could and should be increased dramatically in light of anecdotal evidence of many landlords not bringing their properties up to standard. It would also create employment in the building sector.

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