Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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214. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to review the workload and outcomes of the Private Residential Tenancies Board, in view of the lengthy time already required to obtain judgments on disputes and the additional roles that may be allocated to the board in relation to the Irish Water charges on tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19118/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The Residential Tenancies Act 2004 regulates the tenant-landlord relationship in the private rented residential sector. The Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) was established under the Act to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants in this sector.

According to the PRTB Annual Report for 2013, adjudication processing times were an average of 7 months in 2013 compared to 12 months in 2012. For 2014, I understand adjudications were taking an average of 5 to 6 months to process. Late 2013 also saw the introduction of a pilot telephone mediation service as an alternative means to address disputes. Processing times for mediation cases are typically 10 to 12 weeks.

Government recently approved a joint proposal from the Ministers for Justice and Equality and Environment, Community and Local Government to address debt enforcement generally. In the case of debtors, including in relation to water charges, it will be open to the creditor to apply to the Court for an Order under the proposed Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill allowing either an attachment of earnings or a deduction from social welfare payments, as appropriate, for the purpose of discharging the debt.

The payment of water charges will be further facilitated through regulatory measures which do not require court proceedings. These have been approved by Government and will be brought before the Oireachtas in due course. Pending establishment of the PRTB deposit protection scheme, these will include a requirement for landlords to retain a tenant deposit until the tenant provides evidence that water charges due have been paid. Following establishment of the deposit protection scheme, tenants will have to demonstrate that water charges due have been paid before the deposit can be returned.

The Residential Tenancies (Amendment)(No. 2) Bill 2012 is currently before the Oireachtas. The Bill has passed all stages in the Dáil, together with second stage in the Seanad. It will return to the Seanad for Committee Stage in the coming weeks; foremost among the amendments will be provisions for the establishment of a custodial deposit protection scheme to be operated by the PRTB. My Department will work closely with the PRTB in planning and preparing for the scheme, including in relation to the resources necessary for its effective implementation.