Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 791: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if a property service regulatory authority will be set up to regulate the auctioneering and estate agency business, managing agents, property letting agents and others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27741/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Property Services Regulatory Authority Bill will provide for the establishment on a statutory basis of the Property Services Regulatory Authority which is currently operating on a non-statutory basis.

The primary task of the Authority will be to maintain and improve standards in the property services sector by means of a licensing system and a system for investigating and adjudicating on complaints against property service providers, i.e. auctioneers, estate agents, including property letting agents, and property management agents.

The new Authority will have statutory powers to investigate property services providers in response to specific complaints submitted by consumers or on its own initiative. The Authority will have a range of penalties at its disposal which will enable it to respond effectively to any infringements of the statutory standards.

Publication of the Bill is subject to the resolution of certain legal issues that have arisen during completion of the drafting process. Every effort is being made to have it published as soon as possible.