asked the Minister for Local Government and Public Health whether, in view of the fact that boards of public health are not lawfully entitled to require incoming tenants of labourers' cottages to pay arrears due, arising out of the tenancy by former tenants, he can state the grounds on which the Limerick County Board of Health recovered the sum of £7 4s. 4d. by way of arrears of rent due by a former tenant from Patrick Shanahan, Ardshanbally, Adare, the number of whose cottage is 78 Croom District, and whether, if this money has been improperly collected, he will order that the amount will be refunded to Mr. Shanahan, and whether, in view of the fact that the board are claiming from Mr. Shanahan an additional sum of £7 10s. Od., he will inform them that there is no lawful authority for making this demand.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Liability for Labourers' Cottage Arrears.
I have no information as to the circumstances under which the Limerick Board of Health and Public Assistance recovered the sum referred to from Patrick Shanahan. I have already brought to the notice of the board the legal position with regard to the payment by incoming tenants of labourers' cottages of arrears of rent due by previous tenants. There is no further action open to me in the matter.
Arising out of the reply and in view of the answer which the Minister gave on the 16th July last to a similar question, that he would apprise the public authority concerned that they have no lawful right to this money, will the Minister still allow this practice to be continued illegally as in the case I have mentioned in the question?
If any money has been taken from anybody illegally, the person from whom it is taken has his remedy.