asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware that recently during a hearing of the Ground Rents Commission held in Dublin in the course of evidence in connection with Abbeyleix and District Town Tenants' League a criticism was made of the landlord whose property was under reference; if the Ground Rents Commission will take steps to see that it will not be used by persons to ventilate local personal grievances; and if he considers it desirable that in future in the case of such evidence both tenant and landlord should be represented at the same hearing, so as to avoid misrepresentation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Ground Rents Commission Hearings.
55.
I am aware of the evidence to which the Deputy refers. The object of setting up the Ground Rents Commission was to provide an opportunity for the various interests concerned, either as ground landlords or tenants, to put forward their views and to enable the commission to reach an informed conclusion on the ground rent problem. Landlords and tenants have full access to the Commission for the purpose of commenting on or rebutting any allegations made in evidence given before it. It is established practice that commissions of this kind are left free to regulate the procedure to be followed in investigating the matters referred to them and I see no reason for departing from that practice in the present case.
Does the Minister not think it desirable that in cases where evidence is submitted on behalf of tenants, the effective landlord should be notified in order to have an opportunity of hearing the evidence and to avoid misrepresentation?
As I say the commission settle their own procedure but they usually publish notices inviting evidence from all interested parties and it is up to any citizen to make sure he presents his point of view at a commission of this nature.
In view of the fact that the Minister has stated that he has read the evidence given by this Association, would he now arrange that the landlord will have an opportunity to present his side so that as much publicity may be given to it as was given to this evidence?
I want to point out to the Deputy that I cannot arrange anything of the sort. The Commission is left to arrange its own procedure as is the normal practice. It is for the Commission itself to decide what particular persons it wishes to have appear before it to give evidence on any particular matter and everybody concerned should be aware of their right to go before the Commission.
Surely the Minister wants to hear the truth in the evidence?
I fear that the questions now being put to me are not to get information but to make some particular point of the Deputy's own.