This Bill proposes to extend for another year the period during which the Board of Works may exercise the powers of compulsory acquisition of premises which were conferred on them by the Civic Guard (Acquisition of Premises) Act, 1923. The total number of cases in which these powers have been exercised by the Board of Works is 85, and in 45 of these cases the premises have since been evacuated by the Guards, leaving 40 still occupied. In most of these 40 cases the Board have succeeded in arranging terms of tenancy amicably. In a few cases they were compelled to fix rents under the powers conferred upon them by the Act. A considerable amount of progress has been made in housing the Guards, but there are still a number of stations, roughly, about 200, in which the premises now occupied by the Guards are not suitable for permanent occupation, and the Board of Works are of opinion that the powers which they have under this temporary Act should be extended for another year.
These powers are only exercised in cases where the owners have proved very unreasonable, and in no case have they or will they be exercised where it would mean any hardship on the owner or owners.