Vol. 397 No. 10
11 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment if he proposes to bring forward legislation to make it illegal to discriminate against prospective applicants for private residential tenancies on the grounds that they had children or were single or unmarried; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I have no such proposals. The terms on which a dwelling is let are a matter for agreement between the landlord and the prospective tenant.
Does the Minister not think that it would be preferable for this sovereign state to organise its affairs in such a way that the basic right of people to shelter would be protected rather than be dragged once again through the European Court of Human Rights in regard to this matter? Does the Minister not think that under the 1982 legislation he has the power to make regulations in regard to this matter which would not adversely affect the supply of housing in the private rented sector?
We have discussed this issue on a number of occasions and I am not going to get into any ideological arguments about it today.
I do not see anything ideological about a woman with a child who has been refused rented accommodation.
Questions have been asked and we should listen to the Minister's reply.
A landlord in the private rented sector currently has the right to let his dwelling to whomsoever he or she pleases. The Deputy continues to pursue this matter in a very strange way. Both he and I know that it would be very difficult to prove discrimination. If somebody wanted to dispossess somebody else they would simply give other reasons for doing so. Under the landlord and tenant code, tenants are protected from harassment and they have the right to peace for the duration of the lease. I do not understand why the Deputy pursues this matter at intervals of six months.
Since the Minister appears to have a problem vis-a-vis ideology, would he not regard the organisation "Threshold" as one that would not feature high on any ideological list? Is he aware that on numerous occasions that organisation have been seeking this kind of legislative assistance?
Yes, I accept that they have.
Would the Minister accept that, as a result of his failure to provide sufficient local authority houses, there are now increasing numbers of parents with children seeking accommodation in the private sector who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining such accommodation because landlords will not take either single or married parents with children? Does he accept that this is adding to the problem of families' homelessness?
I would suggest to the Deputy that, since this Government assumed office there has been a substantial upsurge in the construction industry——
If one can afford to pay, say, £100,000 there has been.
——and in the number of units being provided by the private sector for tenancy.
At £400 and £500 a month.
That is on the increase and must be welcomed. It has led to a substantial number of jobs in the construction last year. I still believe that when somebody has a property to let he or she is entitled to decide to whomsoever it should be let.
What about the child?
That used to apply in Bethlehem.
That will surely hit the headlines.
I am calling Question No. 12.
