Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

The functions of the board are specified. Legislation usually covers new ground and it is not necessary to put in new Bills everything that has been provided for in other legislation, for example, in areas such as taxation or equality. If other agencies and bodies have been established to cover those areas, there is no need to reference them in each subsequent Bill. A function of the board will be to monitor rent levels generally by reference to the type of accommodation, location and so on and report to the Minister. It will not be a function of the board to monitor discrimination as that will be dealt with by the Equality Authority. One does not have to put in the kitchen sink in all legislation. One puts in what is relevant to what one is doing and what is new. One does not have to duplicate the provisions of other Bills.