Vol. 498 No. 1
272 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to provide for the housing needs of private sector tenants whose security of tenure will cease to have the protection of statute law when the relevant provisions of the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982, lapse in July 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26506/98]
273 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of private sector tenants likely to be affected by the lapse in July 2002 of the protections available to them under the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26507/98]
274 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on the situation of private sector tenants whose security of tenure will come to an end when the relevant provisions of the Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 cease to afford protection to them in respect of these tenancies with effect from July 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26508/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 272, 273 and 274 together.
The Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Act, 1982 confers a right to retain, as a tenant, possession of a formerly controlled dwelling for the lifetime of the person who was the tenant at the commencement of the Act, 26 July 1982 or the lifetime of his or her spouse. Where a member or successive members of the tenant's family succeeded to the tenancy within 20 years of the commencement of the Act, the right to retain possession under the 1982 Act expires on 25 July 2002, subject to the tenancy lasting a minimum period of five years.
Information is not available on the number of tenants whose right to retain possession of a dwelling is liable to be affected by the expiry of the 1982 Act. The most recent information from local authorities indicates that at the end of December 1997 some 9,400 formerly controlled dwellings were registered by the landlord with the local authority. This figure would include dwellings still occupied by persons whose position remains unchanged after 25 July 2002, other dwellings to which the Act may no longer apply and those that may be affected by the expiry of the Act.
My Department is examining the implications of the expiry of the protection afforded to successor tenants under the 1982 Act and any necessary decisions will be made well in advance of the expiry of the existing provisions.
