PART IV.

Housing of the Working Classes.

29. —(1) The Minister may make regulations for the purpose of securing the proper and efficient management of houses provided under the Housing of the Working Classes Acts, providing for all or any of the following matters:—

(a) the maximum and minimum number of persons who shall be permitted to occupy such houses on any letting;

(b) the reservation of such houses (in this Act referred to as “reserved houses”) for occupation by persons of a particular class and the number of houses and type of house that may be so reserved;

(c) the method of selection of tenants and the classes of persons to whom preference shall be given;

(d) the terms and conditions to be included in any agreement under which any person is permitted to occupy or use such house;

(e) such other matters as the Minister may consider necessary or expedient.

(2) Regulations under this section shall provide that in the letting of houses regard shall be had to the character, industry, occupation, family circumstances and existing housing conditions of the applicants and subject thereto first preference in the letting of houses which are not reserved houses shall, wherever practicable, be given to persons displaced from reserved houses, and second preference shall, wherever practicable, be given to persons with families living in one-roomed dwellings where:—

(i) one or more than one member of the family is suffering from tuberculosis; or

(ii) one or more than one member of the family (exclusive of the parents) has attained the age of sixteen years; or

(iii) the dwelling has been condemned as being unfit for human habitation.

(3) Regulations under this section may apply to housing authorities and houses generally or to a particular housing authority or to a particular class of house.

(4) Where regulations have been made under this section it shall not be lawful for the housing authority to whom the regulations apply to make a letting of a house to which the regulations apply save in accordance with such regulations.

30. —(1) A housing authority (being the corporation of a county borough or the corporation of the borough of Dun Laoghaire) may and, if required by the Minister, shall provide reserved houses for occupation by persons of a particular class.

(2) A housing authority (being the corporation of a borough or the council of an urban district having a population of over twelve thousand) may provide reserved houses for occupation by persons of a particular class.

31. —Article 24 of the Second Schedule to the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, is hereby amended by the substitution therein of three pounds per centum per annum for five pounds per centum per annum as the rate of interest to be paid by a housing authority upon the compensation money payable by them in respect of any lands entered on by virtue of the said article.

32. —Unless the Minister shall in any particular case otherwise direct or agree, the costs payable by a housing authority in respect of the acquisition of land for the purposes of the Housing of the Working Classes Acts, shall be regulated as follows:—

(a) where such land is registered land within the meaning of the Registration of Title Acts, 1891 and 1942, by the provisions of the Land Registration Rules, 1937;

(b) where such land is not registered land within the meaning of the Registration of Title Acts, 1891 and 1942 by the Solicitors' Remuneration General Orders, 1884 to 1947, with the exception of Clause 6 and Rule 11 in Part I of the Schedule to the Solicitors' Remuneration General Order, 1884.