asked the Minister for Justice when it is proposed to introduce legislation to protect the interests of flat-dwellers.

14.

asked the Minister for Justice if he is satisfied with the present legal status of flat-dwellers; and if any consideration is being given to establishing certain minimum rights of occupation.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together. A review of the whole area of private rented accommodation which was begun during the term of office of the previous Government was recently completed in the Department of the Environment, including the workings of the Rent Restrictions Acts, 1960 and 1967, and the supply and condition of rented accommodation generally. The results of that review have been circulated to other Departments and the replies are awaited. This is directly relevant to questions that arise in extending control to rented accommodation not now covered by rent restriction legislation.

I should like to make it clear that, while the Government are in favour of amending legislation, they recognise— and this was made explicitly clear on our behalf, before the election, to the National Flatdwellers Association— that in particular any legislation which operated to keep down rents of flats to an unreasonable or unfair degree would not only be unjust to the owners but detrimental to the interests of those needing rented accommodation, both by reducing the amount of new accommodation coming on to the market and by discouraging the proper maintenance of existing housing stock. A system that would be fair to both sides and that would not be against the public interest is what is to be aimed for and this must take time to produce, all the more so since it may well be necessary to see how existing accommodation that is subject to rent control would fare in the context of such new legislation.

Will the Minister give a guarantee that the pledges given in the pre-election charter of rights which was circulated by his party to the flatland areas of the cities will be implemented in full?

The Deputy need have no worries whatsoever with regard to the fulfilment by my party in Government of the assurances given before the election.

When must we expect the legislation arising from the review which has now been finalised, as it would appear that the pledges given did not hint at the kind of delays we are now experiencing? When do we see some action?

The results of the review that I mentioned have been circulated to Departments for comments. I am awaiting these comments. When I examine them I will be at a stage where I can make recommendations to the Government.

The benefit of this review to the legislation was not seen as a prerequisite for the very generous commitments made prior to the election. Why does it now inhibit the Minister from introducing legislation?

I am afraid the Deputy does not understand who makes policy decisions in Government.