Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1503: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has given consideration to transferring the functions of the Private Residential Tenancies Board to local authorities in view of their responsibility for collecting the non-principal private residence tax, derelict sites, rental accommodation standards and other similar functions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33312/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The PRTB was established in 2004 and has as its key functions:

(a) the operation of a national registration system for all private residential tenancies;

(b) the operation of a dispute resolution service;

(c) the provision of information, carrying out of research and the provision of policy advice regarding the private rented residential sector.

Local authorities, supported by a dedicated stream of funding allocated by my Department, have responsibility for inspections of rented accommodation to ensure compliance with the minimum standards for rental accommodation, which are prescribed by regulations made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992. Funding to local authorities for this purpose increased significantly between 2005 and 2010, rising from €1.5m to €5.6m, bringing total funding allocations since 2005 to almost €20m.

The Local Government Efficiency Review Group's report and recommendations was published in July 2010 and does not include any recommendations with regard to the transfer of PRTB functions to the local authorities.

I do not propose to transfer any of the PRTB's functions elsewhere. Instead, my focus is on optimising the efficiency with which the Board does its work and, to this end, in April 2009 my Department commenced a review of the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004, under which the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) operates. The purpose of this review was to consider whether the Act best supported the PRTB's key functions and whether legislative amendments would support either the achievement of additional operational efficiencies by the PRTB in the delivery of those functions or the broader good working of the private rented sector. I announced the preliminary outcomes of the review in November 2009; they include recommendations in a number of key areas, and have an overall emphasis on streamlining and simplifying the Act and reducing delays. It is intended that these recommendations will be given effect, through amending legislation, as soon as possible.