Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

Amendment No. 7 amends the current definition of property service to ensure the licensing requirements under the Bill are clear. I cannot accept amendment No. 8. Its effect would be to bring local authorities within the scope of the Bill. The functions of local authorities include the letting of residential property and the procurement of the maintenance and repair of residential properties. These are part of their duties in regard to managing and maintaining their housing stock. In the absence of this exclusion, it could be argued that local authorities fall within the scope of the Bill, which is not the purpose of this legislation.