Séamus Pattison
Question:48 Mr. Pattison asked the Minister for Justice if he proposes to take any action with regard to the issue of ground rents.
Written Answers. - Ground Rents.
As I have made clear to the House on a number of occasions in the recent past in reply to parliamentary questions, the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act, 1978 prevents the creation of new ground rents on dwellinghouses and the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act, 1978 provides, as regards existing ground rents on dwellinghouses, a low cost purchase scheme by virtue of which any person can abolish the ground rent payable on his dwellinghouse. The Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (Amendment) Act, 1987 extends indefinitely the operation of that scheme.
Therefore, the existing law provides a ready means by which any ground rent lessee can acquire the fee simple in his dwellinghouse. Over 60,000 people have already availed themselves of that opportunity.
I am satisfied that the existing legislation is operating satisfactorily.