asked the Minister for Local Government if he intends to amend the vesting order in respect of county council houses so that tenants may purchase the annuity from the county council.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Purchase of Annuities.
42.
The decision whether or not to allow the redemption of an annuity is, under section 99 of the Housing Act, 1966, a matter for the housing authority concerned and one in which I have no function.
Did you not send out a circular as a result of the High Court action, a tenant versus Cork County Council, where a person can buy out the annuity now?
I was not aware that you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, were sending out circulars. However, the position is that the point raised on this question has nothing to do with the matter to which Deputy Crinion referred.
It is the purchasing of the annuity.
No. The High Court action Deputy Crinion was talking about dealt with the payment of one-third of the purchase price which Fianna Fáil insisted on being paid by a tenant who was selling a local authority house. This is a different matter altogether.
As a result of that court case, one can now buy out the annuity.
It could be done all along under section 99 of the 1966 Act, if the local authority agreed, and it is still the same.
Question No. 43.
Is the Minister now saying that local authorities should not insist on the payment of one-third?
In fact, the High Court said that for me: they said they should not insist on the payment of one-third of the entire sale price, which is what was put down by the Fianna Fáil Party when they were in power.
No, the profit.
The entire sale price. No profit. The profit did not come into it at all. It was the entire sale price.
The profit was what was practised.
It was not the profit, in practice, it was the entire sale price. Fianna Fáil are now kicking up a row when I am insisting on one-third.
The Minister must know what happens in Meath County Council.
I do know, much better than does Deputy Crinion, with regard to Meath County Council, and it is not so.
Well, it was in South Tipperary County Council.
I am glad to hear it.