John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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1396. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of inspections carried out in the rental sector in 2017; the number of non-compliant dwellings at first inspection in 2017 for each of the four Dublin local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36517/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The Strategy for the Rental Sector, published in December 2016, set out a series of measures to be introduced to ensure the quality of private rental accommodation by strengthening the applicable standards and improving the inspection and enforcement systems.

The Rental Strategy recognises the need for additional resources to be provided to local authorities to aid increased inspections of properties and ensure greater compliance with the Regulations. Provision has been made for an additional €2.5 million funding in 2018, with the intention of providing further increases each year in the period to 2021 to facilitate a targeted inspection coverage of 25% of rental properties annually.

Since establishment of the RTB, over €36 million has been paid to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under the Housing Acts, including the inspection of rented accommodation.  Over 207,000 inspections were carried out during this period.  In 2017, 19,647 inspections were carried out by Local Authorities.

The numbers of non-compliant dwellings at first inspection in 2017 for each of the four Dublin local authorities are as follows;

- Dublin City Council: 1,165,

- Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown: 202,

- Fingal County Council: 559, and

- South Dublin County Council: 1,135.