Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 September 2018
230. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of rental properties nationally that have been sanctioned for overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38093/18]
View answerEnforcement of Part IV of the Housing Act 1966, which deals with overcrowding, is a matter for each local authority in its role as housing authority for its relevant functional area. Under that Act, a housing authority may request information from the owner or occupier of a house such as will allow that authority to determine if a house can be deemed to be overcrowded, having regard to section 63 of the Act.
The housing authority may serve notice on the owner of a house, specifying the maximum number of persons that may occupy a house without causing overcrowding and, where the owner of a house is causing or permitting the house to be overcrowded, may require the owner to desist from causing or permitting such overcrowding within a period not exceeding 21 days. Any person who neglects or refuses to comply with these requirements is guilty of an offence.
Information specifically related to the number of rental properties sanctioned for overcrowding is not collected by my Department.
