asked the Minister for Justice the number of ground rents purchased to date under the new legislation.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - Purchase of Ground Rents.
26.
The special purchase scheme provided by the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act, 1978, came into operation on 1 August 1978. Between that date and 30 January 1981, inclusive, 9,144 vesting certificates were issued through the Land Registry under the scheme. In an additional 929 cases the purchase money had been paid to the ground landlord but the vesting certificate had yet to issue, giving a total of 10,073 ground rents which had by the end of January been effectively bought out under the Act.
Ground rent tenants of local authority houses are given the right of purchase under the 1978 Act but the procedure is a matter for the local authorities and they do not come within the Land Registry scheme. I have no information as to the number of such tenants who have exercised their right.
Is the Minister satisfied with the progress of the scheme? Will it, as originally announced, lead to the abolition of ground rents, bearing in mind that on his own estimate there were, I think, 250,000 ground rents in the country at that time and this abolition amounts to .04 per cent to date?
I have listened to Deputy O'Keeffe, to others in his party and to members of the Labour party continually knocking this scheme which I introduced in 1978. This is a better scheme and far more favourable to owner occupiers than the scheme promoted by the Coalition Government. That Government refused to make any financial contributions to such a scheme, made no bones about that being their policy and defended it. The scheme I introduced has worked effectively. We have had over 10,000 vesting certificates issued, despite the fact that the scheme has been continually knocked outside the House by representatives of the party opposite.
Would the Minister bear in mind that to win the last election a promise was made to abolish ground rents? Is he satisfied that after two years of the scheme, which is limited to a five year period, it is going to abolish ground rents within the five-year period considering that after two years, on his figures, only .04 per cent of ground rents have been abolished?
As I have already stated, 10,000 people or more have benefited from the scheme. I am sure that 10,000 would be a much greater number but for the campaign against it outside the House by members of the Deputy's party. The Deputy knows full well what I am talking about. They have done their best to sabotage this scheme from the beginning.
Does the Minister accept that in the next three years the remaining 98 per cent or 99 per cent of ground rents will be purchased? Does he expect the promise which his Government made to have a scheme which will effectively abolish ground rents to be carried out? Does he seriously expect anybody to believe that?
The Deputy knows that when I introduced other landlord and tenants legislation we discussed the matter he is talking about for hours on end. I reject the political innuendo in his question now, as I did every time it was raised. I am more than satisfied that this scheme would be far more effective but for the sabotage efforts being conducted.
Questions Nos. 27 to 29, inclusive, are for Written reply.