Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the amount that has been allocated to the Property Services Regulatory Authority since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4258/08]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the breakdown of the expenditure to date incurred by the Property Services Regulatory Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4259/08]

Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he will provide an account of the work to date undertaken by the Property Services Regulatory Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4270/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 189 and 191 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in 2005 the Auctioneering/Estate Agency Review Group, established by my predecessor to carry out a review of all aspects of the auctioneering profession in Ireland, recommended the establishment of a Regulatory Authority to take over responsibility from the Courts and the Revenue Commissioners for the licensing and regulation of Auctioneers, Estate Agents and Management Agents.

In December 2006, the Government approved the general scheme of the Property Services Regulatory Authority Bill, which will establish the Authority on a statutory basis, and it is anticipated that the Bill will be published in final form later this year.

Clearly for the new Authority to be fully functional, it will be necessary for it to be established on a statutory basis. However, pending enactment of the legislation, an Implementation Group has been established to assist and advise on practical matters relating to the establishment of the new body and a Chief Executive designate, who is working closely with the Implementation Group, has been appointed. While the Group and the Chief Executive designate are currently involved in establishing the basic organisational structures, systems and procedures necessary to any organisation, a number of specific issues, fundamental to the long term functioning of the Authority, have been identified which can be addressed in advance of it being established on a statutory basis. These include the acquisition of accommodation for the Authority, the development of a code of practice for the industry, the creation of a National Public Register of Property Services Providers and the development of consumer information packs. To date, significant progress has been made in each of these areas as follows:

Accommodation, which will serve the medium to long term needs of the Authority, has been acquired in Navan, Co Meath.

A Code of Practice, which identifies the key principles and values that should guide the day to day practice of Auctioneers/Estate Agents, has been drawn up by the Group and circulated to all licensed Auctioneers/Estate Agents.

The Code incorporates a complaints system which will enable complaints concerning non-compliance with the Code to be investigated. All licensed Auctioneers/Estate Agents have been invited to subscribe to the code on a voluntary basis pending its establishment on a statutory basis under the proposed new legislation.

A National Public Register of all licensed Auctioneers and House Agents has been established and published for the first time. This Register will be added to on an ongoing basis and will, once the new legislation is in place, include Management Agents.

Public information material on the provision of property services, including the purchase and sale of property, is currently being prepared. It is planned to have this material available later in the year.

Expenditure to date on the establishment of the Authority is as follows:

The budget allocation for 2008 is €904,000.