Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

32. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the recent finding (details supplied) that of the 3,427 dwellings Dublin City Council inspected in 2014, only 924 passed the regulatory requirements to allow the property to be rented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22328/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992. These Regulations were updated by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2009. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for enforcing the regulations rests with the relevant local authority, supported by a dedicated stream of funding allocated by my Department. This funding is provided from 20% of Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) tenancy registration fee income.

Additional funding was provided in 2010 for once-off strategically-planned programmes of inspection known as 'intensified inspection projects'. Funding for these projects was awarded where housing authorities agreed to undertake additional, targeted inspection activity, over and above what they would conduct as part of their usual inspection programme.

A total of 20 applications was received and Dublin City Council was awarded €1,099,135 for its intensified inspection programme. The programme focussed on areas with a high concentration of pre-1963 multi-unit buildings.

This programme of inspections has been very successful. Based on information supplied by Dublin City Council, approximately 6,360 private rented units had been inspected by end of March 2015, with 12,668 inspections undertaken overall. To date, 4,160 units have been brought into compliance with the legislation. Enforcement action taken in 2014 alone resulted in 2,577 rented properties being brought into compliance. Action on the remainder will continue, including legal action where appropriate.

My Department is currently collating 2014 inspection data and will publish these online in due course. Data for previous years are available at: