Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2012
288 Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if under the proposals of the action plan for jobs, action 1.15, he sought an ending of upward only rent clauses operated by Departments and agencies, as a mechanism for reducing charges. [21364/12]
View answerIn order to progress the commitment in the Action Plan for Jobs concerning Government charges on business (Action 1.15), I wrote to my Ministerial colleagues in March, asking them to examine all charges which are levied on business by their Departments and associated bodies, with a view to identifying which of these costs can be reduced or frozen to the end of 2013 or beyond. It is a matter for each Department or agency, where appropriate, to consider the potential for reducing rental costs as part of this exercise. The Land Conveyancing and Law Reform Act 2009 abolished upward-only rent reviews for all new leases signed on or after 28 February 2010.
As far as my own Department is concerned, IDA Ireland and Shannon Development operate significant property portfolios. While both agencies hold leases that pre-date 28 February 2010, the IDA Ireland and Shannon Development have confirmed that, where businesses are in difficulty, they have, on a case by case basis, responded to and facilitated companies' requests for reduced rent and they will continue to do so. The IDA has informed me that they have not increased any client rents since 2010.
