Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

Section 30 of the Bill states the Minister will empower local authorities to make charges for dwellings they do not own but which may be subject to a contract of a lease. I understand this pertains to the rental accommodation scheme. A management company or housing authority may pass on management and service charges to tenants. This looks as though it will constitute an additional charge for people.

The conundrum in this regard is that the legislative framework to require the sale of flats requires this provision. Consequently, the Government has no inhibition in this regard. Although the Minister of State has outlined the legislative framework to allow the sale of council flats to take place in this provision, he has not spotted that is the required legislative framework.

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