Written answers

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Anti-Social Behaviour

Photo of Willie PenroseWillie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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449. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the remedies available to local authority tenants who are subject to ongoing harassment and intimidation from neighbours and the assistance that can be given to them to resolve their ongoing difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18741/14]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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While action to deal with anti-social behaviour is primarily a matter for An Garda Síochána, local authority tenants who are subject to on-going harassment and intimidation from neighbours should contact the housing authority concerned in confidence, as the body responsible for estate management. Housing authorities have the power to seek a court order excluding a person engaged in anti-social behaviour from entering a local authority dwelling or estate for a period of up to three years. They are also empowered to refuse to allocate, or to refuse to sell, a dwelling to such a person. At the policy level, every housing authority has a statutory duty to adopt and review an anti-social behaviour strategy for the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour in its housing stock, which must provide for co-operation with other relevant bodies, notably the Gardaí. In addition, I am seeking Government approval to the text of a Housing Bill that will include a revised procedure to replace section 62 of the Housing Act 1966, enabling housing authorities to recover possession of their dwellings from households in serious breach of their tenancy agreements, including engaging in anti-social behaviour. The Bill also includes provisions that will strengthen the powers of housing authorities in relation to excluding orders. I anticipate that the Bill will be published shortly and will be enacted by th e Summer recess.

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