THE eviction of local authority tenants in arrears with rent may soon be a thing of the past.
The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal, Ms Liz McManus, said at the Dublin Corporation drugs conference yesterday: "In order to help avoid problems with build up of rent arrears there will be a new procedure under the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, enabling local authority rents to be deducted from social welfare."
The Housing Bill was published last December and is aimed primarily at giving local authorities legal powers to deal with problems arising from drug dealing and anti social behaviour on their estates. The Minister said a new excluding order in the Bill would mean only those "directly involved" in anti social behaviour would be removed from a local authority house.