Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The purpose of these amendments is to clarify the relationship between local authorities and the approved housing bodies, AHBs, where dwellings are let by local authorities to AHBs and subsequently let by those bodies to social housing tenants. These provisions were included in the published Bill but amendments Nos. 4, 6, 8 and 9 redraft those provisions to make it clear that for the purposes of the application of the Residential Tenancies Act to dwellings let by the AHBs, the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to the tenancy between the local authority and the AHB. The Residential Tenancies Act does apply to the tenancy between the AHB and the social housing tenant. This makes it clear that all the rights and obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act apply to the tenancy between the AHB and its tenant.

Amendment No. 6 clarifies that the relationship between the approved housing body and its tenant is that of landlord and tenant and is not a sub-tenancy.

Amendment No. 21 is a technical amendment to the definition of approved housing body to provide for this relationship. Amendment No. 98 is a consequential amendment to section 65 of the published Bill.

Amendments Nos. 10, 11, 18 and 19 are drafting amendments and correct errors in the published Bill. Amendment No. 22 is a consequential amendment on that as well.