Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Right to Purchase) Bill: Discussion

Mr. Patrick Davitt:

What we are trying to say is that the bid is recorded. From what the Senator has read out, it is not crystal clear that is the situation.

If one goes to auction, one is in a situation where one than has to go back to the tenant. I am sorry. We have looked at it and what we have come out of it with. I know the committee has the advantage of going to the Department and so on, but we do not have that advantage. We are only looking at what is in front of us. What is in front of us shows me that if, in 90 days, a tenant makes an offer on the property, if that offer is the highest, that is fine. If, however, the tenant's offer is not the highest and somebody else has the highest offer, there is an issue. If one wants to go to auction with the property and is outside the 90 days, if you then get a higher offer, in my opinion, you have to go back to the tenant. Senator Cummins says that it is not necessary to go back to the tenant. If that is not necessary, then the whole situation will be clarified.