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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 4

Written Answers - Replies to Correspondence.

Seamus Brennan

Question:

229 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Justice when she will reply to correspondence sent in May 1996, at her request following her replies to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 94 of 22 May and 159 of 8 May 1996; her views on whether a delay of over five months in responding is acceptable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20992/96]

In relation to the matter arising from my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 94 of 22 May, I have received a report from the Garda authorities regarding the correspondence passed to me by the Deputy, receipt of which was acknowledged on 30 May. The report shows that the person in question was arrested, dealt with by the gardaí and convicted by the Circuit Criminal Court in accordance with the law. As the Deputy will appreciate, the courts are independent in the exercise of their functions and, as such, it is not open to me to comment any further on this particular case.

As regards the Deputy's comment on the delay in dealing with this correspondence, the matter raised concerned a particular criminal conviction and, as such, a report had to be obtained from the Garda authorities addressing the specific point raised. This report was received in my Department on 31 October 1996.

In my reply to Question No. 159 of 8 May 1996 I indicated that if the Deputy let me have a detailed submission about the need for change in the area of the law referred to in the question I would arrange to have it examined. The Deputy wrote to me subsequently and his correspondence was acknowledged on 23 May. That correspondence dealt with a very complex and technical area of landlord and tenant legislation and a change of the nature proposed could only be brought forward after detailed legal research and a full examination of the issues involved. Because of the priority which I must give to the comprehensive programme of law reform which I have under way at present and the fact that I have no immediate proposals for change in the areas of the law referred to in the correspondence, it has not been possible in the time available to have had the suggestion made in the correspondence fully evaluated. I have noted it, however, in the context of any general review of the law which may take place in the landlord and tenant area.

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