I accept that there is a strange coincidence of notices to quit being served on people before they qualify for the 20 year terms of tenancy. Whether it is deliberate or not is something I could not judge. The question of further reducing the length of the qualifying period of 20 years was considered in 1991 as part of the preparations of the plan for social housing. It was considered that it would not be in the interests of tenants to reduce the qualifying period because a further reduction would give less flexibility in leasing arrangements since landlords could ensure that the duration of the tenancy was reduced correspondingly to ensure that no right of renewal would occur. If the period was reduced to five years instead of getting notice after 19½ years people would get notice after four and a half years. On balance it was decided not to reduce the period.
The parts of the charter of rights for tenants which we have put in place since this Government came into office are considerable. Now a minimum notice of four weeks is required before any tenant can be evicted. The right of distress which a landlord had, where he could seize the goods of a tenant in lieu of rent, has been removed. The regulations concerning mandatory rent books and prescribed standards of minimum accommodation are now in place. The other legs of the Programme for Government in regard to tenants' rights are the registration of all tenancies and the right of tenants to have a tax rebate on rent paid. Let me assure the Deputy, again without attempting to pass the buck, that is a matter for the Minister for Finance, in the first instance, rather than for me.