Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he intends to give the Private Residential Tenancies Board the authority to collect deposits from tenants in order to protect tenants from scams similar to that seen in Dublin in recent weeks and from other unscrupulous practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16477/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Commission on the Private Rental Residential Sector, on whose report the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 is based, did not recommend that the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) should collect and hold tenancy deposits, presumably because of certain practical difficulties associated with the performance of such a function and the requirement for a high degree of co-operation by landlords. It is a statutory function of the Private Residential Tenancies Board to review the operation of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and any related enactments and make recommendations to the Minister for amendments, as appropriate. I will consider any such recommendations as well as any suggestions from other sources that may be received, following an adequate period of experience of the operation of the legislation.