asked the Minister for Justice whether he is aware of the very difficult position in which weekly tenants of furnished rooms and flats are placed at present because of their lack of legal protection enjoyed by other classes of tenants, the present shortage of houses, and the known objection of many landlords to letting apartments to families with children; and if he will use the emergency powers available to him to afford such tenants protection during the emergency against arbitrary dispossession, and extend to them the same legal protection as is enjoyed by tenants of unfurnished apartments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Position of Weekly Tenants.
Mr. Boland
The question of extending the protection of the Rent Acts to occupiers of furnished lettings was examined by the committee, presided over by the late Mr. Justice Meredith, on whose report the Rent Restrictions Act of 1923 was based. That committee advised against such a course and its advice was accepted. So far as I am aware, there have been no developments since then calling for the reconsideration of that decision, and I understand that no representations were made on this particular point to the tribunal which only a few years ago completed an exhaustive examination of the Rent Acts.
The Minister seems to have overlooked the fact that I referred specifically to the existing conditions, due to the emergency. In view of the fact that we have extended the protection of the emergency powers to the tenants of unfurnished dwellings, surely the Minister might consider the position of the tenants of furnished rooms which is even more difficult than that of the other class. The position of tenants in furnished rooms in the City of Dublin is very difficult indeed.
Mr. Boland
No representations have been made to me on that matter, and I do not know what the position is. I can, however, see that there would be a big objection if there was to be any interference with the right of people to get possession of rooms in their own houses. The Deputy can see there is a big difference between the two classes. At any rate, no representations have been made to me about it.