asked the Minister for Justice the number of people who have appeared in court for the non-payment of ground rent in the past five years; the number who have received jail sentences; and the number of those who are women.
Written Answers. - Ground Rent.
460.
, Limerick East): Existing court statistics do not show how many people in the past five years appeared in court in connection with ground rents or were committed to prison for refusal to obey court orders related to ground rents and the information could not be compiled without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of staff time.
I am aware, however, that during that period at least three people, all men, were so committed. However, I should make it clear that nobody could in the past five years — or for many years before that — have received a jail sentence for non-payment of ground rent as such or for non-payment of any other civil debt. Persons are, at times, committed to prison for disobeying court orders in relation to non-payment of debts. Such orders may be made only after a court examination of the debtor's means and if an order for committal to prison is subsequently made, it is made because of deliberate refusal to comply with the court order.
461.
asked the Minister for Justice the amount of ground rent paid in each year of the past five years; and the estimated amount of ground rent that has been paid to sources outside the Republic of Ireland.
, Limerick East): Information is not available on which to base a good estimate of the amount of ground rent payable annually (whether to sources within or outside of the State). This was recognised as a fact by the Ground Rents Commission who in their “Report on Ground Rents” (PR. 7783) indicated that they were unable to estimate either the number of ground rents in the State or the total amount of money involved.