Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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435. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the amount allocated to each local authority for rental property inspections to date in 2020; and the projected increase in funding for this purpose for 2021 and 2022. [15743/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Between 2005 and 2019, over €43 million was paid to local authorities to assist them in the performance of their functions under the Housing Acts, including the inspection of rented accommodation. Over 298,000 inspections were carried out during this period.

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 €6 million of Exchequer funding to be made available to local authorities in 2020 for this purpose, with the intention of providing a further increase in 2021 to facilitate a targeted inspection rate of 25% of rental properties annually at that stage. Funding is provided on the basis of inspections carried out rather than through advance allocations.

Detailed information in relation to inspections carried out by each Local Authority since 2005, can be found on my Department's website at the following link:

Details of the amounts paid to each local authority in 2020 are set out in the table below:

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions it has not been possible for all local authorities to submit inspection data for Q1 as yet. Q2 returns will be processed and paid in due course.