Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 May 2024
283. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of whole-time equivalent Residential Tenancies Board minimum rental standards inspectors, per local authority, for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23778/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019. Responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations in the private rental sector rests with the relevant local authority. If a property has been found to be non-compliant with the Regulations, it is a matter for the local authority to determine what action is necessary and appropriate. Under sections 18A and 18B of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992, a housing authority may serve an Improvement Notice or Prohibition Notice, respectively, where a property is found to be non-compliant.
Neither my Department nor the Residential Tenancies Board has an operational role in the inspection of private rental accommodation under these regulations. Staffing of this function is a matter for each local authority. Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.
The Government is committed to ensuring that a stock of high quality accommodation is available for those who live in the private rented sector. Housing for All sets a target of 25% for the inspection of all private residential tenancies from 2021. A total of €9 million in Exchequer funding is being made available by my Department to local authorities this year to help them meet their private rental inspection targets.
Local authorities conducted over 49,000 inspections of private rented dwellings in 2022 and an all-time high of over 63,500 in 2023. Annual data in respect of the level of inspection and enforcement activity by each local authority is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/da3fe-private-housing-market-statistics/#private-rented-inspections.
