Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I join the Acting Chairman in welcoming our guests from St. Joseph's College, Lucan. It is important that young people get to see our democracy in action. I thank them for being with us.

The RTB was established as an independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2021 to operate a national tenancy registration system and facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants. The RTB is quasi-judicial and its mediators, adjudicators and tribunal members have independent decision-making powers in the same way as a judge. The RTB replaces the courts for the vast majority of landlord and tenant disputes. It can award damages for breaches of obligations under the Residential Tenancies Acts of up to €20,000. Since July 2019, Part 7A of the Acts, on complaints, investigations and sanctions, provides the RTB with enhanced powers of investigation and sanction in respect of improper conduct by a landlord. Where it is found that a landlord has committed improper conduct the sanction imposed can be a written caution and a fine of up to €15,000 and up to €15,000 in costs, or both. The operation of the rental market and the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2021 are kept under constant review and any necessary legislation will be introduced to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.

The RTB was allocated €11 million in Exchequer funding for 2021, an increase of €2 million on the previous year to reflect the expansion of the RTB's core functions as a result of new powers and functions conferred on it in 2019. In order to ensure that the RTB continues to be fully resourced to deliver on its mandate, €11 million was secured to fund the RTB's operational costs in 2022. Following recommendations in the RTB workforce plan for 2018 to 2021 and engagement with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the RTB has received sanction for an additional 41 staff since 2019 to ensure that its enhanced powers and the new legislative provisions are fully implemented and enforced. This includes the sanctions granted in 2021 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for two new full-time permanent senior posts at principal officer level and also for the remuneration of the director or CEO, to be set at assistant secretary level. The director was previously remunerated at the salary equivalent of principal officer. The authorised staff complement for the RTB is now 106.4 whole-time equivalents. The Department continues to engage with the RTB to guarantee that it has the funds and staffing it requires to effectively discharge its functions in the residential rental sector.