Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 February 2017
207. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the sections in the Planning and Development and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 yet to be commenced; and when he expects to commence these provisions. [4708/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 was enacted on 23 December 2016. The commencement provisions in section 1 of the Act provide that the amendments to the Local Government Act 1998 in Part 5 came into operation on the day of enactment, and that sections 33 to 37, 46, 47 and 50 of Part 3 - which amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 - came into operation on the day following enactment. The Act provides that all other sect ions of the Act will come into operation on such day or days as I, as Minister, may appoint by order or orders. In this regard, the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Act 2016 (Commencement of Certain Provisions) Order 2017 brought sections 1 and 2 of Part 1, relating to preliminary and general provisions of the Act, and sections 30 to 32, 38 to 43 and Parts 1 and 2 of the Schedule to the Act - relating to further amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 - into operation with effect from 17 January 2017.
On foot of preparations already underway, it is expected that the planning related provisions in Part 2 of the Act - with the exception of sections 26 and 27 relating to environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening - and the amendments to the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 contained in Part 4 of the Act will be commenced in March 2017. It is envisaged that the EIA screening provisions will be commenced in May 2017 and that the remaining limited amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 will be commenced in Q3 2017.
