Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 November 2014
1030. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the delay in producing the regulations required to give effect to the provision of the Housing Miscellanous Act 2014 which would allow local authorities to take action against anti-social tenants. [41589/14]
View answer1044. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the laws in place to help home owners who are having problems with difficult neighbours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41816/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1030 and 1044 together.
Housing authorities have substantial powers under the Housing Acts 1966 to 2014 to manage their housing stock, including , in the case of anti-social behaviour , powers to recover possession of dwellings and to seek court order s excluding persons from social housing accommodation or estates for periods of up to 3 years.
Housing authorities are also empowered to refuse to allocate, or to refuse to sell, dwellings to persons engaged in anti-social behaviour. At the policy level, every housing authority has a statutory duty to adopt and review an anti-social behaviour strategy for the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour in its housing stock, which must provide for co-operation with other relevant bodies, notably An Garda Síochána.
Part 2 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 includes a new court procedure for the recovery of possession of local authority dwellings from households in serious breach of their tenancy agreements, including through anti-social behaviour. The Act also strengthens the powers of housing authorities to obtain excluding orders in the case of anti-social behaviour. I intend to make the necessary statutory instruments in the coming months to bring Part 2 of the 2014 Act into operation.
