Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 465: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of cases that have been taken by the Private Residential Tenancies Board against landlords for breaches of regulations in 2009, 2010, and to date in 2011; the number and the percentage of these cases in which breaches were found to have taken place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22165/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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I have no function in the operational matters of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), an independent statutory body established under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004.

The Act makes provision for enforcement by the Courts of Determination Orders made by the PRTB. If the Board or a party mentioned in a Determination Order is satisfied that another party has failed to comply with one or more terms of that order the Board or the mentioned party may make an application to the Circuit Court in accordance with section 124 of the Act. The Act also provides for the enforcement of tenancy registration requirements, specifically sections 144 and 145, which provide for the issuing of notices to landlords and/or occupiers of the dwellings in question and the prosecution of offenders for non-compliance with the registration requirement.

The PRTB publishes statistics in relation to its enforcement actions in its Annual Reports which are available on its website www.prtb.ie. The most recent Annual Report currently available is that for the year 2009.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 466: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on strengthening the powers of the Private Residential Tenancies Board to address the ongoing problem of rogue landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22166/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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The obligations of landlords and tenants in the private rented residential sector are set out in the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 which provides the main legislative framework for the sector and, in particular, for the operation of the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), the independent statutory body charged with the administration of the Act and the enforcement of those obligations.

Breaches of landlords' obligations may be referred to the PRTB in the context of applications to it for its disputes resolution services. The PRTB may then issue directions regarding those obligations in its Determination Orders and, in the event of non-compliance with the Orders, it may pursue enforcement via Court proceedings.

My Department conducted a review of the Act in 2009 with a specific emphasis on whether the Act best supports 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. The outcomes of the review were announced by my predecessor as Minister of State and, in April 2010, the Government approved the preparation of the Heads of a Bill to deliver on the review's recommendations.

I am at present evaluating those recommendations and associated legislative proposals and I intend to submit proposals in that regard to Government in the near future.