Vol. 540 No. 1
66 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason he has not implemented the recommendations of the commission on the private rented sector; the progress which has been made on the legislation recommended in the commission report; when he intends to establish the private rented tenancies board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20080/01]
Government proposals for major reforms in the private rented sector, announced on 5 January 2001 in response to the recommendations contained in the report of the commission on the private rented residential sector, require primary legislation for their implementation. A number of relevant measures have already been implemented in the Finance Act, 2001.
Implementation of the other reforms requires new legislation, including amendments to the existing landlord and tenant legislative code, and the necessary legislation is being drafted. This work is progressing satisfactorily to date, although the interface between the commission's proposals and the existing landlord and tenant code provisions is complex and requires careful drafting.
The Government announcement in January envisaged a two year timeframe to reach the stage of enacted legislation and my Department is working to this. The private residential tenancies board will be established on a statutory basis when the legislation is enacted. In the meantime, and pending the enactment of the legislation, I envisage that the board will be set up on an ad hoc basis in the autumn.
Will the Minister of State explain why the measures in the report of the commission on the private rented residential sector, published a year ago, intended to benefit the country's 150,000 tenants, will not be implemented until some time next year? The measures in the report that benefit landlords have already been implemented in the Finance Act.
Has the Minister of State yet submitted a memorandum to the Government on the proposed legislation? Why is it taking over 12 months to establish the private rented tenancies board on a non-statutory basis?
The timescales I have laid down have been adhered to. The terms of the memorandum I have been asked to reply to have been approved and will be put before the Government in the near future. The timescale will continue to be adhered to and the ad hoc body will be established.
As already indicated, the timescale for the preparation of the legislation, for which extensive work will be required, will be honoured. If we can do things sooner, we will be pleased to do so.
The establishment of the private rented tenancies board was recommended by the commission on the private rented sector. The Minister of State undertook to establish it on a non-statutory basis pending the enactment of the legislation. Given that all that is required is to nominate the members of that board and give them terms of reference and a budget, why has it taken so long, apart from the obvious reason that Minister does not want to do it at all? The Government does not want to provide basic legal rights for tenants in private rented accommodation. This is a landlord's Government.
Must I repeat to Deputy Gilmore that this is the first Government for years that took any action to assist tenants?
More people have been evicted from their houses since the time of Michael Davitt—
The Government has taken a major step in working to implement the recommendations of the commission that I established. It was a major initiative. It was announced that the ad hoc board would be ready for the autumn, and it will.
On that point, has the Minister of State identified who the members of this ad hoc board will be? Is there an outline for the composition of the board, and if so, what is it? When is the board likely to hear its first complaint from a tenant?
How often do I have to tell Deputy Gilmore that the terms of the memorandum have been approved by me? Certain people are being approached with regard to their availability to sit on the board. Arrangements have been made to establish the board as soon as everything is in place. To give the impression that the Government and I are trying to slow down the implementation of the announced proposals, which resulted from a commission that we established, is ludicrous. I do not know why Deputy Gilmore persists with this line of argument. Perhaps he thinks that if the allegation is repeated often enough, people will think it is true.
The Minister is trying to delay the establishment of the board. He got the report 12 months ago.
I have approved of the recommendations concerning those eligible to be on the board. People are being approached and we are awaiting their replies.
Is the Minister of State referring to the memorandum on the establishment of the private rented tenancies board or the one dealing with the promised legislation?
Deputy Gilmore was suggesting that the ad hoc board was being delayed deliberately. The memorandum relates to the ad hoc board.
