Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

That is an interesting question to which I am not sure of the answer. The legislation is a commitment in the programme for Government in the context of it addressing a very important issue which is impacting on our economy and the viability of otherwise viable businesses. On the other side of the equation, in the context of its relevance to the operation and functioning of the National Asset Management Agency and the disposal of properties, there are a broad range of issues to be addressed, all of which we are conscious of. I envisage that we will bring forward a carefully balanced Bill which I hope will meet the needs in this area in a practical and usable manner and will try to ensure the needs of businesses that would otherwise be viable, save for the fact that they may be tied to rental levels that reflect what I describe as the super-rents that seemed to emerge during the boom years, may be addressed. A number of technical issues need to be addressed in the context of the legislation. I do not want to pre-empt the final decisions that will be made and hope to bring forward the necessary legislation as soon as possible.

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