Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 39: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when statistics will be available regarding the number of inspections on private rented dwellings carried out in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25065/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. 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. This funding increased significantly between 2005 and 2008, rising from €1.5 million to €4 million. I am pleased that I will be in a position to maintain funding for this purpose in 2009 at the 2008 level of €4 million, bringing total funding allocations since 2004 to €15 million.

In general, local authorities have significantly expanded their inspection activity in recent years with the number of inspections more than doubling – from 6,815 to 14,008 - in the period 2005 to 2007. More detailed information on the number of inspections carried out each year up to and including 2007 is included in my Department's Annual Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are available in the Oireachtas Library and on my Department's website at www.environ.ie. Work is under way on finalising the 2008 data which will be published later this summer; however, preliminary figures indicate a further year on year increase in activity of approximately 23%, with over 17,200 inspections completed in 2008. This further significant increase reflects the positive impact of the overall Action Programme on Standards, including increased funding, introduced on foot of a commitment in the Towards 2016 social partnership agreement, and progress with the implementation of the rental accommodation scheme.