Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 544: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will respond to a matter (details supplied) regarding the Private Residential Tenancies Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23014/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. 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 on 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 July 2011, the Government approved the Heads of a Bill to deliver on the review's recommendations.

The incorrect retention of deposits by landlords was identified in the review process as one of a range of issues that merited specific attention. While the Heads of the Bill contain provisions that will, inter alia, deter the incorrect retention of deposits by landlords, I am continuing to evaluate the review recommendations and associated legislative proposals. In that regard, I have already met with the PRTB which has engaged in some research as to the viability of a separate deposit retention scheme pursuant to its function, under section 151(1) of the Act, to provide advice to the Minister concerning policy in relation to the private rented sector. On foot of that meeting, I have asked the PRTB to carry out further research on how best to address the issue of deposit retention and this research will further inform my thinking on this matter.