Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I cannot accept amendment No. 2. This Bill and the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 do not cover local authority housing apart from those where cost rental tenancies are in place. That said, I know tenancy terminations from local authority housing are rare and I have no reason to think local authorities will move forward with terminations over the winter months. Given that the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, indicated in the Dáil last night that he will consider issuing a circular to local authorities on this issue, and the fact that this is emergency legislation, it would not be appropriate to cover local authorities in this Bill. However, I note the points made by Senator Flynn in relation to the Traveller community. Certainly, in relation to Traveller-specific accommodation, I am aware that all local authorities have designated wraparound facilities for Traveller communities. As was stated, evictions from local authority housing are rare and are not covered in this Bill.