Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 12: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to provide stronger incentives, financial or otherwise, to local authorities in order to enforce the dwelling standard criteria and to allow a meaningful number of inspections to be carried out on dwellings being considered or in use for rent supplement tenants. [9595/06]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 61: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to update the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) 1993 to reflect modern living standards; and when he proposes to make such updates. [9592/06]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will adopt a co-ordinated approach to ensuring that all private rental accommodation has fire safety certificates, planning permission and adequate heating, cooking and lighting provision. [9531/06]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the standard of accommodation in the private rented sector. [9432/06]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to initiate a more proactive system of enforcement in respect of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) 1993, as the current system normally only operates on the basis of complaints received; and his views on including a provision within such a proactive system to allow his Department to request a higher rate of inspections in areas which required them, for instance, in areas where the properties are older. [9594/06]

Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of dwellings currently being used as accommodation for rent supplement tenants; the percentage of these which have been inspected at least once; the percentage of those inspected which have been deemed unsuitable; and the percentage of those deemed unsuitable which have been the subject of legal action. [9593/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 61, 63, 103, 104 and 114 together.

The very high level of investment in new accommodation in recent years has improved the quality of accommodation generally. However, there is still a proportion of sub-standard rented properties. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993, which specify the minimum standards applying to rented accommodation. Local authorities have statutory responsibility for enforcing the regulations in relation to private rented accommodation and other statutory requirements coming within their remit.

The regulations and enforcement powers apply to rented accommodation generally; local authority statistical returns do not provide specific data on enforcement in relation to rent supplement accommodation. Regulation of the SWA rent supplement scheme is the responsibility of the Department of Social and Family Affairs. I understand that entitlement to rent supplement is conditional on the community welfare officer being satisfied that the accommodation is reasonably suited to the claimant's needs. Data are not available regarding the number of dwellings being used to accommodate rent supplement tenants. There are currently in the region of 60,000 rent supplement claimants but the number of dwellings is likely to be lower due to accommodation sharing in some cases.

An objective of the new rental accommodation scheme, RAS, is to help bring about improvement in the quality and standards of private rented accommodation. Accommodation must meet all statutory requirements as determined by the local authority before the authority will enter into contract with landlords. Guidance has issued to authorities on the minimum standards to be met and also encouraging them to adopt higher standards where possible so as to promote improvement in the stock of private rented accommodation.

A range of measures is being applied to improve the level of compliance and enforcement in relation to rented accommodation standards generally. A scheme of tax relief for refurbishment of private rented accommodation, which has been in operation since 2001, is being continued in full throughout 2006 and on a reducing basis up to the end of July 2008. I would strongly encourage landlords to avail of this continuing relief to rectify deficiencies in standards. The cost of repairs to private rented accommodation will continue to be tax deductible.

Funding of €1.6 million was provided to local authorities in 2005 from the proceeds of tenancy registration fees to fund enforcement of the regulations. I hope to be able to increase this funding further in 2006. Furthermore, from this year onwards, funding will be related to each authority's performance in enforcing the regulations, which will provide an incentive to maximise performance. I also envisage issuing good practice guidelines in this area to help increase effectiveness, including more strategic and proactive approaches. The very substantial increase that has been achieved in the level of tenancy registration will also help in enforcing the standards regulations. Accommodation that fully complies with the existing regulations will be of an acceptable standard. However, in view of the time since the regulations were introduced, I intend to have them reviewed as soon as the demands involved in bedding down the new tenancy legislative regime permit.