151.—(1) The principal functions of the Board shall be—

(a) the resolution of disputes between tenants and landlords in accordance with the provisions of Part 6,

(b) the registration of particulars in respect of tenancies in accordance with the provisions of Part 7,

F327[(ba) the investigation of landlords and the imposition of sanctions in accordance with the provisions of Part 7A,]

(c) the provision to the Minister of advice concerning policy in relation to the F328[…] rented sector,

F329[(ca) the making of reports to the Minister under section 24A,

(cb) the publication of statistics under section 114A,]

(d) the development and publication of guidelines for good practice by those involved in the F328[…] rented sector,

(e) the collection and provision of information relating to the F328[…] rented sector, including information concerning prevailing rent levels,

(f) where the Board considers it appropriate, the conducting of research into the F328[…] rented sector and monitoring the operation of various aspects of the F328[…] rented sector or arranging for such research and monitoring to be done,

F330[(fa) the performance of the functions transferred to it by section 76 of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015,]

(g) the review of the operation of this Act (and, in particular, Part 3) and any related enactments and the making of recommendations to the Minister for the amendment of this Act or those enactments,

(h) the performance of any additional functions conferred on the Board under subsection (3).

(2) The Board shall provide information to the Minister on such matters related to its functions and the F328[…] rented sector as may be requested by the Minister from time to time.

F331[(2A) (a) The Minister shall, not earlier than 12 months and not later than 15 months after the commencement of section 22 of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2019, request the Board to provide him or her with such information in relation to prevailing rent levels in the rented sector (other than lettings referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of that term) as he or she may specify by such date (which shall be a date that falls not later than 3 months after the date of the request concerned) as he or she may specify.

(b) The Board shall comply with a request under paragraph (a).

(c) The Minister shall, not later than 3 months after the date specified under paragraph (a) in respect of the request concerned—

(i) prepare a report in relation to prevailing rent levels in the rented sector (other than lettings referred to in paragraph (b) of the definition of that term), and

(ii) lay a copy of that report before each House of the Oireachtas.]

(3) The Minister may, if he or she so thinks fit or if so requested by another Minister of the Government, after consultation with—

(a) the Board,

(b) that other Minister of the Government, and

(c) the Minister for Finance,

by order—

(i) confer on the Board such additional functions connected with the functions for the time being of the Board or activities that the Board is authorised for the time being to undertake as he or she considers appropriate,

(ii) make such provision as he or she considers necessary or expedient in relation to matters ancillary to or arising out of the conferral on the Board of functions under this subsection or the performance by the Board of functions so conferred.

F332[(4) In this section "rented sector" means—

(a) the sector of commercial activity in the State consisting of the letting of dwellings, and

(b) the letting, by approved housing bodies, of dwellings, referred to in section 3(4) (inserted by section 3 of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015), to households referred to in that subsection.]