asked the Minister for Home Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the serious inconvenience, expense, and hardship which has been caused owing to the absence of a clause in the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1923, to specially provide that the Divisional Magistrates of the Dublin Metropolitan Police Area should have the same powers and be deemed to be District Justices for the purpose of the said Act with regard to small tenancies not exceeding a rent of £26 per annum; to ask what steps he proposes to take to immediately secure a remedy for this grievance, which directly affects thousands of small tenancies in Dublin.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - INCREASE OF RENT AND MORTGAGE INTEREST ACT.
Mr. O'HIGGINS
When the provisions contained in the Courts of Justice Bill, at present before the Oireachtas, become law, the inconvenience to which the Deputy has drawn attention will no longer exist, as District Courts will then function in the Dublin Metropolitan Police Area as elsewhere.
Arising out of the Minister's answer may I ask him whether pending the time that the Bill will become law, if any case arises in the City of Dublin, can he say what will happen in that case—will he give the tenants the same protection as those having to stand the expenses of High Court proceedings?
Mr. O'HIGGINS
I do not quite follow the Deputy's question. I say cases arising pending the passage of the Courts of Justice Bill will have to await the passage of that Bill.