Eugene Regan (Fine Gael)

I second the amendment. The Minister gave a fairly comprehensive response to the debate and questions raised by Senator Alex White and me on the previous occasion and indicated that the intention of the amendment was to make it retrospective. My concern was that the existing provision provides for the ability of a tenant to renunciate prior to the taking out of a tenancy — assigning the tenancy agreement — whereas there is no reference to "prior" here. As I interpret it, the provision as drafted would apply in the case of "prior to" or at any time after the lease was entered into. Perhaps the Minister of State could clarify that one point.