Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

11 o’clock

My amendment suggests this should be at the tenant's request. Some tenants understand what they are being told, but I have come across people who cannot even read or write. They go in to their local authorities and just sit and listen, but do not know what is going on. Practice is different across the local authorities and that is my concern. Nothing is defined. A public representative does not have to attend with a tenant if he or she does not feel comfortable. The same is true for anybody else and it is up to the individual whether to go or not. If the tenant wants somebody to accompany him, a person can be found within the confines of the groups we have outlined. The current situation in local authorities is all over the place. We need a more coherent system in terms of how we deal with tenants when conveying information to them on serious issues, which could lead to evictions. People in these situations must be made fully aware of all the ins and outs when it comes to what they are being told.

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