Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if and when he intends to update the minimum standards for rented accommodation to bring them in line with modern living standards and to ensure that dwellings are suitable for family life; if he intends using the guidelines prepared for the proposed residential accommodation scheme as a blueprint to do same; if he further intends to resource or otherwise encourage local authorities to adopt a more proactive approach to inspections by conducting spot-checks on rental supplement accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16482/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I intend to review the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 1993 as soon as the demands involved in bedding down the new tenancy legislative regime permit. I expect that work on the review of the Regulations will commence later this year. In the meantime action is being taken on a number of fronts, as indicated in my reply to Questions Nos. 12, 61, 63, 103, 104 and 114 on 8 March 2006, to improve enforcement of the existing regulations, including the allocation of performance-related funding to local authorities.

In relation to the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS), one of its objectives is to help bring about improvements in the quality and standards of private rented accommodation. Accommodation coming into RAS must comply with the statutory requirements as determined by the local authority before the authority will enter into contracts with landlords. Landlords must also be tax compliant and have registered the tenancy with the Private Residential Tenancies Board. Guidance has issued to authorities setting out the minimum requirements for accommodation under the scheme. This generally reflects existing regulatory requirements.

Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 79: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the growing concerns that the Private Residential Tenancies Board does not have the staff and resources required to properly carry out its work in line with the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. [16551/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Substantial resources are being provided to the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) to meet the high level of demands on its services. There is currently a total of 35 staff working in the PRTB, which also receives ongoing support from my Department. The PRTB has also engaged a panel of 175 mediators and adjudicators to assist with its dispute resolution functions. An increased provision of €3.707 million is available to fund the PRTB's administration and services in 2006, compared with an outturn of €1.737 million in 2005.