Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 212: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the position regarding ground rent legislation and the abolition of ground rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42055/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Part III of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) (No. 2) Act 1978 contains a statutory scheme whereby any person may, at reasonable cost, acquire the fee simple in his or her dwelling house. The scheme is operated by the Property Registration Authority. Since it was introduced in 1978, over 80,000 applicants have availed of the scheme and have acquired a freehold title to their property.

A legal challenge to the constitutionality of the purchase price provisions of the ground rents legislation was heard in the High Court in 2005. The Court's judgment upholding the constitutionality of the legislation was delivered in early 2006 but was subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court heard the appeal some months ago and has reserved its judgment.