139 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason for the long delay in relation to a case (details supplied); the issues involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9617/02]

The Housing (Registration of Rented Houses) Regulations, 1996, came into operation on 8 July 1996 and shortly afterwards, leave was granted to a company to seek a judicial review in the High Court of the article relating to the initial registration fee. They are pursuing this course on the basis that: the registration fee will generate a sum substantially in excess of what would be required; the fee was set arbitrarily with no basis in costing principles; compliant landlords will subsidise inefficiency or the cost of pursuing non-compliant landlords. A defence has been filed and the hearing date has yet to be set.