asked the Minister for Local Government if he has considered the special position of tenants of newly-wed type houses in Ballyfermot who have been in occupation for a number of years and who are now being transferred to alternative dwellings; and if he will now arrange that they will be exempted from the increases in rent which have been introduced by the Dublin City Manager.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Exemption from Rent Increases.
8.
Following the Deputy's question of 31st March last and his subsequent letter to me on this subject, I took his representations up with the corporation. Their reply was received last week and is being examined in my Department. I have not yet had an opportunity of going into the matter in detail but I will do so shortly, and will then communicate further with the Deputy.
Does the Minister appreciate that in the meantime tenants of this group who have been transferred from the reserve type houses to other houses are being required to pay greatly inflated rents which he will find are unjustifiable? Could the Minister take steps to suspend the operation of this scheme in relation to these tenants at least until he has decided as to the injustice of the whole proposal?
I doubt whether I could move in in the way suggested by the Deputy and if I did move in such a manner and it was found on investigation that the scheme was not to be continued, the grievance might be that much more pronounced than it is now. Following receipt of the Deputy's letter, discussions and investigations are taking place on an official level and I should have some outcome from these within the next week or so at the outside.