Michael Joe Cosgrave
Ceist:57 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the constitutional amendment, if any, he plans to introduce in order to abolish ground rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Vol. 415 No. 2
57 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline the constitutional amendment, if any, he plans to introduce in order to abolish ground rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
58 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Justice if his attention has been drawn to the exorbitant prices which are being quoted to people who wish to buy out their ground rents; if he will have the matter investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
59 Mr. Cosgrave asked the Minister for Justice if he will outline (a) the present procedures for purchasing ground rents and (b) the procedures which the arbitrators involved are using; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 57, 58 and 59 — which I take it relate to ground rents on dwellinghouses — together.
The Government have no plans for legislation to enable a referendum to take place on the abolition of ground rents. However, as I informed the House in reply to Question No. 119 of 19 November 1991, the Government are committed to introducing legislation which will abolish domestic ground rents as and from 1 January 1997. Under these proposals such rents will be deemed no longer to exist and the fee simple of the property will become the exclusive ownership of the householder. The legislation will shift the onus of completing the purchase of outstanding ground rents from the householder to the ground rent landlord. Payment of compensation to the ground rent landlord will continue to apply on a similar basis as at present. Work has commenced in my Department with a view to the preparation of the necessary legislation and when proposals are finalised they will be announced in the usual way.