Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 139: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if and when he will meet with tenants of a housing scheme (details supplied) in County Kildare with a view to facilitating a meeting between the relevant officials of Kildare County Council, his Department and the tenants with the representative of the housing association with a view to addressing the long-standing grievances of the tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11929/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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My Department's involvement with voluntary and co-operative housing schemes relates primarily to the provision of funds for individual projects. The detailed administration of the schemes, and the certification that projects comply with the terms and conditions of the funding schemes, are the responsibility of the local authority.

Approved housing bodies are responsible for the proper management and maintenance of dwellings provided under the terms of the funding schemes and for the operation of letting policies, the fixing of rents and compliance with all relevant statutory requirements. Tenancy matters are generally covered in the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement between the approved housing body and the tenant, and are broadly based on landlord and tenant legislation.

Leim an Bhreadain Voluntary Housing Association currently manage and operate a 32-unit voluntary housing scheme at Sli an Chanail, Easton Road, Leixlip. In accordance with terms of the funding scheme for this project, tenants are required to pay a rent based on the local authority Differential Rents Scheme. Kildare County Council wrote to my Department on 1 March, 2011, to advise that the housing body in question has a six-person Board of Directors in place and that information with regard to rents policy, annual accounts and insurance, as requested by the Council, had been received from the Board.

I understand that the Council noted an apparent error in the way rents were determined and this was brought to the attention of the Board of Directors and discussed at a subsequent meeting between representatives of the Board and Kildare County Council. The Council also advised my Department that the Board of Directors agreed to meet individual tenants who had concerns in relation to rent policy and the payment of rent arrears.

It is a matter for Kildare County Council to ensure that the housing body is managing and maintaining the housing scheme in accordance with the terms and conditions of the funding scheme. This includes oversight of tenancy arrangements and rents policy. My Department will ask Kildare County Council to review these matters and to report on compliance, by the housing body, with the terms and conditions of the scheme. Given that primary responsibility for the matters in question rests with the local authority a meeting such as suggested would not be appropriate.