Vol. 467 No. 7
132 Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the fact that one local authority (details supplied) will only accept applications for registration under the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996 by post; if he has satisfied himself that this meets the criteria for guarantees of confidentiality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14678/96]
133 Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to meet the City and County Managers' Association, or any other interested bodies, to discuss arrangements for local authorities to maintain the confidentiality of information, that is surplus to the requirements of the register under the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996 received by them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14679/96]
134 Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to meet representatives of the student union organisation to discuss their fears that the provisions of the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996 will lead to a diminution of the amount of suitable private rented accommodation, an increase in rents and the supply of personal information regarding tenants by landlords; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14680/96]
135 Mr. Briscoe asked the Minister for the Environment if his attention has been drawn to the variation of content of the application forms for registration under the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996 compiled by certain local authorities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14681/96]
167 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment the number of landlords who have registered to date under the Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996; the total number of units of accommodation that have been registered under the regulations; and the estimated number to which the regulations apply. [14343/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 132, 133, 134, 135 and 167 together.
The administration of the new system of registration of private rented dwellings, including the processing of individual applications, is the responsibility of local authorities in their areas.
Under the regulations, which came into effect on 1 May 1996, the landlord of a house which was already let on that date had up to 1 July 1996, to comply with the registration requirements. Landlords of houses let after 1 May had one month to register the letting. Information on the number of landlords who have so far registered, and the number of units of accommodation registered, is not yet available in my Department. This information will be published in due course in my Department's Housing Statistics Bulletins, copies of which are made available in the Oireachtas Library. Data is not available in my Department on the number of houses to which the regulations apply.
