Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I cannot accept the amendment. Section 2 represents a standard commencement procedure which allows for the practical reality that certain matters must be dealt with before the Bill becomes operational. There must be a strategic approach to the development of the Private Residential Tenancies Board's functions. The initial objective is to establish the board and formally appoint its members after which it will commence its work. Its first task, which will take some weeks, is to secure the registration of landlords on which basis a database will be developed. There is no intention to delay but the reality is that it will take a couple of months before the board can carry out its functions. Landlords must be registered before any dispute resolution can be undertaken, for example. There will be no unreasonable delay and the system will be wholly operational in four or five months but the landlord registration task must be the first focus of the board.

The wording of section 2 is standard and can be found in many other pieces of legislation. I acknowledge that the provisions of some Bills can take months to come into effect but that will not be the case in this instance. The Bill will come into effect quite quickly but not all its provisions can be implemented on day one.