Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 296: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he intends to bring forward legislation to remove the legal obstacles to the abolition of ground rents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22578/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The position is that section 2 of the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1978 introduced a prohibition on the creation of new leases reserving ground rents on dwellings.

As regards existing ground rents, 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. This scheme is operated by the Property Registration Authority. Since it was introduced in 1978, over 80,000 applicants have availed of the scheme to acquire the freehold title to their property. In the case of property other than dwelling houses, the Landlord and Tenant (Ground Rents) Act 1967 contains provisions which facilitate acquisition of the fee simple subject to agreed terms or on terms set out in an arbitration carried out by the County Registrar.