Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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1331. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of improvement notices, prohibitions orders and or fire safety notices there have been in each local authority or in selected ones for which there is data relating to overcrowding of rented households. [46451/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2017. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these regulations. Responsibility for the enforcement of the regulations rests with the relevant local authority.

Following enactment of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009, local authorities have a strengthened legislative framework available to them which provides for the issuing of Improvement Notices and Prohibition Notices where landlords are in breach of their obligations. Fines for non-compliance with the regulations were also increased; the maximum fine increased from €3,000 to €5,000 and the fine for each day of a continuing offence increased from €250 to €400.

Information in relation to where notices were served on landlords for improvements to be carried out, as well as legal actions initiated, can be found on my Department's website at the following link:

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Information on prohibition notices issued in relation to overcrowding is not collated by my Department.

Local authorities have extensive powers of inspection and enforcement under a range of legislation including the Building Control Act 1990, the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003 and the Dangerous Substances Acts, 1972 and 1979, all of which may be relevant in relation to fire safety arrangements in properties, other than those specifically excluded under the Acts.

Under the Fire Services Acts of 1981 and 2003 local authorities are designated as fire authorities and overall details in relation to inspections and notices issued by fire services from 2011 up to 2016 are available on my Department's website at the link below;

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Information on the details of individual Fire Safety Notices served by local authorities are not held by my Department but may be obtained directly from the relevant local authority.