Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 584: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that accommodation provided to a tenant by way of licence agreement is not subject to inspection by the local authority and if he will legislate to correct this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17608/08]

Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 585: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a landlord who enters into a licence agreement directly with the tenant is not required to register with the Private Residential Tenancies Board; if he will legislate to correct this anomaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17609/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 584 and 585 together.

Section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992 provides that the Minister may make regulations prescribing standards for houses let for rent or other valuable consideration. Minimum standards for private rented accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 1993. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority, supported by a dedicated stream of funding allocated by my Department.

The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) has a function of reviewing the operation of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and of making recommendations for the amendment of the Act and any other related enactments, where this is considered necessary. I am open to considering any such recommendations and am aware that the PRTB has recently identified possible amendments to the Act that may enhance the Board's operations. These amendments are being considered in the context of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill which is currently being drafted.

I understand that the PRTB has also considered licensing arrangements and makes no recommendations in this regard. Such issues are understood not to be the subject of a significant number of cases received by the Board. The PRTB is mindful of the need to ensure that tenancy registration requirements are not avoided through licensing and other arrangements and will continue to adopt a robust approach in dealing with any such cases arising.