andJames Larkin asked the Minister for Justice if he will state when proposals for legislation will be introduced dealing with the question of tenants unprovided for under the Rent Restrictions Act, 1946, in respect of the control of rents, and under the Landlord and Tenant Acts in respect of the renewal of leases.

The Rent Restrictions Act, 1946, is due to expire at the end of the present year and, in that connection, I am about to have the position in regard to rent control generally fully examined by a commission of inquiry whose function it will be to advise whether the present Act should be continued in operation and, if so, with what amendments. The scope of the inquiry will necessarily embrace the question of extending rent control to houses that are not covered by the 1946 Act and, pending the investigation of the whole question, I do not propose to introduce legislation on the lines suggested in the question.

As regards the renewal of leases under the Landlord and Tenant Acts, I assume that the Deputies are referring to the position of lease-holders under Part V of the Act of 1931. I propose to have the position of these lease-holders examined by the commission which is about to be set up, but it is only right that I should say at this stage that it is likely that the commission will be required to give priority to the question of the Rent Restrictions Act, 1946, in view of the impending expiration of that Act.

Would the Minister make it clear that the rents of furnished apartments will be included within the scope of the inquiry to which he has referred in his reply?

I will note the Deputy's suggestion.

That shelves that for five years.

Are we to take it that the continuing Bill at the end of 1950 will be merely a continuing Bill pending the result of this inquiry?

When the inquiry is finished I shall tell the Deputy that.

Does the Minister anticipate the inquiry will be finished by the time it will be necessary to introduce the Bill? It must be passed by 31st December.

I would not anticipate the findings of the commission.

It is on the shelf so.

Does the Minister intend to leave owners of property and members of the legal profession in a state of complete doubt for the next year or so as to what is going to happen?

I am not. The Act is still in force. You left it in doubt at the end of 1946.

Not at all. We always continued it.