Vol. 493 No. 2
78 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when it is intended to introduce the promised legislation to abolish ground rents; the nature of any constitutional difficulties which are holding up abolition of ground rents; and if he will make a statement of the matter. [15413/98]
The Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rent) Abolition Bill passed Second Stage in the Dáil on 19 March 1997.
The detail of the Bill is being examined in my Department at present, particularly from the point of view of the constitutionality and practicality of its proposals, in consultation with the Attorney General and the Registrar of Titles.
I am not in a position to indicate yet when that examination will be completed but any proposals which may emerge will be announced in the usual way.
The Deputy will appreciate that pending the completion of that examination I could not comment in detail on the particular constitutional issues in question other than to make the general point that successive Governments have accepted that the abolition of ground rents without appropriate compensation arrangements would not be in accordance with constitutional requirements.
