asked the Minister for Local Government whether the allotment form for tenants of Dublin Corporation Houses in the Terenure area included, among the letting conditions, provision for increasing the rents payable by such tenants; and, if not, what authority exists for increasing such rents.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Rents of Terenure Corporation Houses.
I am not aware of the conditions of letting of the houses referred to, and, accordingly, I am not in a position to consider what reply should be given to the second part of the Deputy's question, or if it would be for me to reply to it at all.
As the Deputy is aware, the powers of housing authorities in relation to lettings made by them derive from the common law and from the Acts relating to local authority housing and the regulations made thereunder.
Would the Minister not think it possible to obtain a copy of the allotment form from the Dublin Corporation? I can assure him that there is no great difficulty about it. I obtained a copy on request.
I have no notion as to why I should, since this is a matter entirely for the local authority.
Might I suggest to the Minister, through the Chair, arising out of his reply in which he indicates that he is at a loss to know why he should do it, that he should do it because he is Minister for Local Government?
My being Minister for Local Government does not mean that I have to inquire into all the matters that arise with a local authority. Ministers for Local Government are often blamed for being too "nosy".
Hear, hear!