Marc MacSharry (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to address this important issue in Sinn Féin's Private Members' time. I support the amendment and, as Deputy Cowen stated, the Fianna Fáil Party will not oppose the motion because we all want the same thing. We heard about the RTÉ programme and, as Deputy Cowen also stated, we want NCT-style inspections of private rented accommodation.

The disparity in the level of inspection activity by various local authorities is testament to the lack of consistency among local authorities nationwide. The average cost of inspections ranges from a low of €147 in one local authority - I forget which - to a high of €800 per inspection in County Louth. I would love to be working in the private sector and getting €800 for inspecting houses. I do not know what is going on in Louth County Council given that a full report from a structural engineer on a 3,000 sq. ft. mansion would cost in the region of €300 plus VAT. I do not know what Louth County Council is doing in terms of allocating costs or who is carrying out this work on its behalf because an average cost of €800 per inspection is a problem.

While we depend on local authorities to carry out inspections, we have established other bodies to regulate the private rented sector, including the RTB. While the RTB is, in theory, a very good organisation which was established for all the right reasons, it is chronically under-resourced. It is akin to having a regulator for drink driving when everyone is driving around drunk. While it is great that the RTB is in place, the organisation is under-resourced. For example, its helpline is only available at certain hours of the day. As a former auctioneer, I had dealings with the board on behalf of landlords and tenants and I experienced serious inconsistencies in turnaround times. It can take up to three years to get a case to court and the tenant or landlord is expected to pay the costs of going the court route. This is a problem.

An NCT-type system is required for the private residential sector. Some local authorities, including Sligo County Council and Dublin City Council, are doing their business well. A good starting point would be to consult those local authorities which are carrying out inspections at a low cost, with a view to mimicking their approach or directing local authorities elsewhere to mimic it.

While we need a new NCT-type system, while we need to have situations improved, we do not need to set up another quango with a pricey administration in terms of back office, that we cannot afford to resource and that, in theory, does this great work but in practice ticks boxes and we do not see the tangible evidence on the ground of penalties being imposed and, ultimately, these properties being brought up to a standard where we have an accommodation crisis in the country. We need to be careful and clever about how we do this.

Why are we here? Why are people being forced to go into the kind of premises that we saw on the RTÉ exposé some weeks ago? The reason for that, of course, is lack of supply. The lack of supply has pushed prices through the roof. People cannot afford it and now we have people going in to substandard properties with 13 or 14 beds stuffed into every corner.

There will always be rogue elements in society. What we must have is a system that can root them out without engaging ourselves as busy fools running around trying to inspect those who perhaps are quite compliant. It is a difficult job. While mimicking the good work that is being done in certain local authorities, as a first step in establishing the NCT-type system we must also increase supply. We have had five or six opportunities over the last number of weeks to outline how we should do that. I gave the Minister tangible suggestions which, I hope, he can act on in that regard.

See this speech in context