Ó Caoláin questions Ahern on Ground Rents
The long-running issue of Ground Rents was raised by Caoimhghín Ó
Caoláin in the Dáil last week, when he questioned the Taoiseach
and urged the passage of legislation to abolish what he described
as a ``legacy of British landlordism''.
The Sinn Féin TD took the opportunity of the Order of Business,
when the Taoiseach answers questions about promised legislation,
on 1 June, to ask Bertie Ahern when the promised Ground Rent Bill
would be introduced. The Bill would abolish ground rent but has
been merely listed as `promised' by this government since they
took office.
``Representatives of Fianna Fáil recently stated the Bill will
come before the Dáil shortly. What is the position with the
proposed Bill which is expected to address the unacceptable
situation still applying in several parts of the country,
including in the town of Carrickmacross?'' asked Ó Caoláin.
Ahern replied that there were ``constitutional, technical and
practical difficulties which have to be dealt with''. Caoimhghín Ó
Caoláin commented later that the reply was ``totally
unsatisfactory and unacceptable''. He said: ``The government has
cited these alleged difficulties on numerous occasions. But they
have shown no evidence of any effort to overcome them, if they
exist at all. Clearly, there is no political will on the part of
this government to deal with ground rents, which persist as a
legacy of British landlordism and a very real financial burden on
many people.''
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