Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 22 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 4

Written Answers. - Private Rented Accommodation.

Matt Brennan

Ceist:

35 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for the Environment the plans, if any, he has to address the problems faced by landlords and tenants incurred at the hands of drug dealers and abusers in the context of private rented accommodation. [1562/97]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Ms McManus)

Problems faced by landlords or tenants involving criminal activity by drug dealers or abusers are matters for the Garda. Terms and conditions of tenancies in private rented accommodation are a matter for agreement between the landlord and tenant. Where a tenant is in breach of the terms of a lease or other tenancy agreement it is open to the landlord under the landlord and tenant code, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Justice, to seek termination of the tenancy.

The Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, 1996, which was published last December, is primarily designed to address problems arising from drug dealing and serious antisocial behaviour in the context of local authority housing. However, the Bill will also give health boards discretion to refuse or withdraw SWA housing assistance in respect of private rented accommodation in the case of certain persons who have been evicted or excluded from, or refused, local authority housing on grounds of serious anti-social behaviour such as drug dealing.