1.—(1) In this Act, save where the context otherwise requires—

“building society” means a society incorporated under the Building Societies Act, 1976;

“certificate of reasonable value” means a certificate granted under section 18 of this Act;

“house” includes any building or part of a building used or suitable for use as a dwelling and any outoffice, yard, garden or other land appurtenant thereto or usually enjoyed therewith and “housing” shall be construed accordingly;

“improvement works”, in relation to a house, includes the provision and installation of a private water supply or private sewerage facilities in the house and any works carried out to the house (whether for the purpose of extending, enlarging, improving, repairing or converting it) that, in the opinion of the Minister, are reasonably necessary for the purpose of rendering the house more suitable for human habitation, but does not include decoration;

“the Principal Act” means the Housing Act, 1966.

(2) References in the Principal Act, as amended, to a grant, loan or contribution under that Act shall be construed as including references respectively to a grant, loan or subsidy under this Act.

2.—(1) The Minister may, subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, authorise designated housing authorities to discharge on his behalf the function of paying grants of one or more, as may be specified in the regulations, of the kinds of grants that the Minister is empowered to pay under the Principal Act or this Act.

(2) Before making regulations under this section, the Minister shall consult with the Minister for Finance and the Minister for the Public Service and with a housing authority affected by the regulations.

(3) Regulations under this section may contain such provisions as the Minister considers necessary or expedient for the purposes of the section, including provisions in relation to the liability for payment of administrative costs incurred by a housing authority under the section.

3.—F1[…]

4.—(1) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, pay, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, a grant to a person providing a new house where—

(a) in case the person purchases the house, a contract for the purchase was not made before the 27th day of May, 1977, and

(b) in case the person builds the house, the foundations were not completed before the 27th day of May, 1977.

(2) Regulations under this section may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the following:

(a) the amount of a grant,

(b) the total floor area of a house the subject of a grant, measured in such manner as may be determined by the Minister from time to time,

(c) a requirement that, where a house is provided for sale within the meaning of section 18 of this Act, a grant shall not be paid in respect of the house unless a certificate of reasonable value is granted under that section in respect of such sale and the conditions subject to which the certificate is granted are complied with,

(d) the occupation of the house,

(e) a requirement that the person to whom the grant is paid or the spouse of such person, either separately or with each other, has not previously purchased or built for his or their own occupation another house,

(f) requirements in relation to the financial and family circumstances of the person to whom the grant is paid, and

(g) requirements in relation to the payment of any other grant or subsidy in respect of the house under any enactment (including this Act).

(3) A grant shall not be paid under this section unless the house the subject of the grant complies with such conditions, if any, as may be determined by the Minister from time to time for the purposes of this section in relation to standards of construction of houses and the provision of water, sewerage and other services therein.

(4) Where a house is damaged by fire, explosion or act of God and, in the opinion of the Minister, it would be more reasonable for the owner of the house to provide a new house than to carry out all necessary improvement works to the first-mentioned house and refusal by the Minister to pay a grant under this section in respect of the provision of the new house would cause undue hardship to the owner or his spouse, the Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, notwithstanding that a requirement of a regulation under this section in relation to matters specified in subsection (2) (e) of this section has not been complied with, pay a grant under this section in respect of such provision if a grant would otherwise fall to be so paid.

F2[(5) Where—

(a) a person providing a new house is a person—

(i) whose F3[marriage or civil partnership within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010] has been dissolved or annulled by order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or

(ii) who is separated from F3[his or her spouse or civil partner] under an order of such court or by deed of separation,

and

(b) the need of that person and his dependents (if any) for housing has been established to the satisfaction of the Minister, and

(c) refusal by the Minister to pay a grant under this section in respect of the provision of the new house would, in the opinion of the Minister, having regard to such circumstances as he considers appropriate, including any contribution made by the other spouse F4[or civil partner], cause undue hardship to that person or his dependents,

the Minister may, notwithstanding that a requirement in relation to matters specified in subsection (2) (e) of this section has not been complied with, pay a grant under this section if, but for such non-compliance, a grant would fall to be so paid.]

5.—(1) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, pay, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, a grant to a person (including a housing authority) carrying out improvement works to a house.

(2) Regulations under this section may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the following:

(a) the amount of a grant,

(b) requirements in relation to the suitability of the house concerned for improvement,

(c) the occupation of the house,

(d) requirements in relation to the type and purpose of the improvement works,

(e) requirements in relation to the financial and family circumstances of the person to whom the grant is paid, and

(f) requirements in relation to the payment of any other grant or subsidy in respect of the house under any enactment (including this Act).

(3) A grant shall not be paid under this section unless the house the subject of the grant, upon completion of the works concerned, complies with such conditions, if any, as may be determined by the Minister from time to time for the purposes of this section in relation to standards of construction of houses and the provision of water, sewerage and other services therein.

6.—(1) A housing authority may, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, pay a grant to a person providing a new house or carrying out improvement works to a house.

(2) A housing authority may, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, make a contribution in kind (whether by way of building materials or labour or any other contribution) to a person in respect of improvement works which are being carried out by the person.

(3) Regulations under this section may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the matters referred to in sections 4 (2) and 5 (2) of this Act.

(4) Regulations under this section, insofar as they relate to a grant paid by a housing authority in respect of a house for which a grant has previously been paid by the Minister for the Gaeltacht, shall not be made without the consent of that Minister.

(5) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, contribute, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, to any expenditure incurred by a housing authority under this section.

(6) A grant shall not be paid, or other assistance given, under this section by a housing authority unless the house or works the subject of the grant or assistance complies or comply on completion with such conditions, if any, as may be determined by the Minister from time to time for the purposes of this section in relation to standards of construction of houses and the provision of water, sewerage and other services therein.

(7) A housing authority may impose, in relation to the payment of a grant or the giving of other assistance by them under this section, such conditions as they think fit.

(8) F6[…]

7.—F7[(1) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister under this section, pay, out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, a grant to a body, approved of by the Minister for the purposes of this section, in respect of the provision (whether by erection, purchase, improvement or conversion works), of one or more than one house for the accommodation of elderly persons or such other class or classes of persons as may be specified in the regulations, or for the accommodation, as his normal place of residence, in the house or houses or within the precincts thereof, of a person providing welfare or caretaker services for such persons or such class or classes of persons.]

(2) Regulations under this section may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of this section, make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the matters referred to in sections 4 (2) and 5 (2) of this Act.

(3) A grant shall not be paid under this section unless the house or works the subject of the grant complies or comply on completion with such conditions, if any, as may be determined by the Minister from time to time for the purposes of this section in relation to standards of construction of houses and the provision of water, sewerage and other services therein.

8.—F8[…]

9.—F9[…]

10.—F10[…]

11.—(1) (a) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, pay a subsidy to a housing authority out of moneys provided by the Oireachtas where the authority—

(i) make a loan under section 39 of the Principal Act, or

(ii) sell a house under section 90 of the Principal Act to a person who is not the tenant of the house in a case in which the purchase money is payable by instalments.

(b) Where the Minister pays a subsidy under this subsection to a housing authority, the authority shall reduce the amount of the relevant repayments of the loan concerned or the relevant instalments of the purchase money concerned, as the case may be, by amounts the total of which is equal to the amount of the subsidy.

(2) (a) Where a housing authority—

(i) make a loan under section 39 of the Principal Act, or

(ii) sell a house under section 90 of the Principal Act to a person who is not the tenant of the house and the purchase money is payable by instalments,

the authority may, with the consent of the Minister and the Minister for Finance and subject to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, pay a supplementary subsidy not exceeding the amount of a subsidy under subsection (1) of this section to the person to whom the loan is made or the house is sold, as the case may be, in respect of expenditure incurred by him in relation to the transaction to which the loan or sale relates.

(b) A subsidy under this subsection shall be paid by means of a reduction of the relevant repayments of the loan concerned or the relevant instalments of the purchase money concerned, as the case may be, by amounts the total of which is equal to the amount of the subsidy.

(3) Regulations under this section may, in particular, but without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the following:

(a) the amount of a subsidy under subsection (1) of this section,

(b) the prohibition of the payment of a subsidy under this section to a person to whom, or to whose spouse F11[or civil partner within the meaning of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010], a subsidy under this section has previously been paid,

(c) a requirement that upon—

(i) the sale of a house by a person to whom a loan or sale specified in subsection (1) of this section is made in respect of that house,

(ii) the lease, letting or transfer of a house to which this section refers to a person other than the spouse, parent, son or daughter of such person as aforesaid, or

(iii) the redemption of a loan made under section 39 of the Principal Act or the payment of the purchase money, in relation to a sale under section 90 of the Principal Act,

within a specified period after the payment of a subsidy under this section in relation to the relevant loan or sale, as the case may be, the person shall pay to the housing authority a specified amount not exceeding the amount of the subsidy or subsidies, and the authority shall pay to the Minister a specified amount not exceeding the amount of the subsidy paid under subsection (1) of this section.

12.—F12[…]

13.—F13[…]

14.—Section 5 of the Principal Act is hereby amended as respects regulations made after the commencement of this section by the insertion of the following subsection:

15.—F14[…]

16.—F15[…]

17.—F16[…]

18.—(1) (a) Subject to subsection (3) of this section and to such regulations as may be made by the Minister for the purposes of this section, the Minister, on the application in writing of a person who appears to the Minister to be providing for sale a new house, may, subject to compliance by the person with the provisions of this section, grant to the person in respect of the sale of the house a certificate (which shall be known as a certificate of reasonable value and is in this section referred to as “a certificate”) stating that the house appears to the Minister at the time of the granting of the certificate and on the basis of the information available to the Minister at that time to represent reasonable value for the amount specified in the certificate, and specifying such other matters, if any, as the Minister considers appropriate.

(b) The Minister may, on the application in writing of a person in relation to a new house, if it appears to the Minister that the house is not being provided for sale, grant to the person a certificate (which shall be known as a certificate of exemption) stating that it so appears to the Minister.

(c) An application under this subsection shall be accompanied by a fee of such amount as may be prescribed from time to time for the purposes of this subsection.

(2) (a) Regulations for the purposes of this subsection may specify the loans to which this subsection applies, and the specification may relate to all loans or to loans that do not exceed a specified amount or to loans that are not less than a specified amount or to loans that do not exceed a specified amount and are not less than another specified amount.

(b) If and whenever regulations for the purposes of this subsection specifying the loans to which this subsection applies are in force, a loan so specified shall not be made by an assurance company, a bank, a building society, or other industrial or commercial organisation or a housing authority (hereinafter referred to as “the lender”) in respect of a new house unless the person who made the application for the loan furnishes to the lender either a certificate in respect of the sale of the house, or a certificate of exemption in respect of the house, and the provisions of any regulations for the purposes of this subsection are complied with.

(c) A person who contravenes paragraph (b) of this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.

(3) The Minister shall not grant a certificate in respect of the sale of a house—

(a) if the amount of the consideration for the sale (in this section subsequently referred to as “the price”) is greater than the greatest amount for which, in the opinion of the Minister, the house represents reasonable value, or

(b) if the price is greater than an amount standing prescribed for the time being under subsection (9) (g) of this section, or

(c) if the sale is completed before the date of the receipt by the Minister of an application for the certificate, or

(d) if the amount of the cost or value of the site of the house included in the price is greater than an amount standing prescribed for the time being under subsection (9) (h) of this section.

(4) (a) The Minister may refuse to grant a certificate in any case where the amount of the cost or value of the site of a house included in the price is greater than the amount for which the site appears to the Minister to represent reasonable value.

(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of this subsection, the Minister may, on the application in writing of either the vendor or purchaser of the site of a house indicate in writing in advance of an application for a certificate whether or not a particular amount proposed to be included in the price as the cost or value of the site appears to the Minister to represent reasonable value.

(5) (a) Where the Minister decides under subsection (3) (a) or (4) (a) of this section not to grant a certificate, he shall notify in writing the person who applied for such grant of his decision and the person may, within the period of 21 days beginning on the date of receipt by him of the notification, appeal to the Circuit Court against the decision and that Court may, on the hearing of the appeal, as it thinks proper, affirm the decision or direct the Minister to grant the certificate.

(b) Notice of an appeal under this section shall be given to the Minister and an officer of the Minister shall be entitled to appear and be heard on the hearing of the appeal.

(c) No appeal shall lie from a decision of the Circuit Court on an appeal under this subsection.

(6) The Minister may, on the application in writing of a person to whom a certificate was granted under subsection (1) (a) of this section, or of any other person who appears to the Minister at the time of the application to be providing a house referred to in a certificate, revoke the certificate and grant another certificate in different terms from the first-mentioned certificate in respect of the sale to which the first-mentioned certificate related.

(7) (a) An application to the Minister for the grant of a certificate or a certificate of exemption shall be supported by such information as the Minister may require for the purpose of his functions under this section in relation to the grant.

(b) A person who furnishes information to the Minister under this section that is false or misleading shall be guilty of an offence.

(8) (a) It shall be the duty of a person to whom a certificate is granted in respect of the sale of a house to ensure that the standards in relation to—

(i) the design, specification, construction and finish of the house,

(ii) the nature and quality of the materials used in the construction and finish of the house,

(iii) the total floor area of the house, measured in such manner as may be determined by the Minister from time to time,

(iv) such fixtures, fittings or other articles as are included with the house in the sale, their design, manufacture and finish and their nature and quality, and

(v) the fitting or installation of the fixtures, fittings and articles aforesaid,

are not inferior to or less in value than those specified, expressly or by implication, by the person to the Minister under subsection (7) of this section.

(b) It shall be the duty of a person to whom a certificate is granted in respect of the sale of a house, and of the purchaser of the house on that sale, to ensure that the price charged or paid for the sale, as the case may be, is not greater than the amount specified in the certificate, such amount being varied, where appropriate, to take into account the reasonable additional cost, or saving, caused by any alteration—

(i) of the standards referred to in paragraph (a) of this subsection or in relation to the matters referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (v) of that paragraph, or

(ii) if the price aforesaid is stated in the certificate to be subject to variation, of the cost of the provision of the house and of any fixtures, fittings or other articles included in the sale thereof.

(c) A person who contravenes paragraph (a) or (b) of this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.

(9) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1) and (2) of this section, regulations under this section may make provision in relation to all or any one or more of the following:

(a) requirements in relation to an application to the Minister for a certificate or a certificate of exemption that shall be complied with by the person making the application,

(b) conditions to which the grant of a certificate shall be subject,

(c) requirements as to the total floor area of a house to which a certificate relates,

(d) conditions or clauses in a contract for the sale of a house to which a certificate relates providing for the variation of the price for the sale,

(e) requirements in relation to the contents and display of notices at or near houses or sites where houses are being or are to be provided, being houses or proposed houses to which certificates relate,

(f) requirements in relation to the inspection of houses and sites by officers of the Minister,

(g) the amount that is the greatest price that may be specified by the Minister in a certificate, and

(h) the amount that is the greatest amount that may be reckoned by the Minister in respect of the cost or value of the site of a house in determining an application for a certificate.

(10) (a) Without prejudice to any penalties which may be imposed under this section, the Minister may, at his discretion, in any case where he is satisfied that a person to whom a certificate was granted has supplied information under subsection (7) (a) of this section that is false or misleading or has contravened paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (8) of this section, or a condition subject to which the certificate was granted, do either or both of the following, that is to say:

(i) revoke the certificate in respect of which the contravention has occurred,

(ii) refuse for such period as he considers appropriate (but not exceeding five years from the date of the notification to the person under paragraph (b) of this subsection) to grant a certificate to the person or to a person connected with him (any question whether a person is connected with another person being, for the purposes of this subsection, determined in accordance with section 96 (3) of the Income Tax Act, 1967, with the modification that references in the said section 96 (3) to control in relation to a company shall be construed as references to the ownership of not less than 20 per cent in nominal value of the share capital of the company).

(b) Before the Minister exercises a power under this subsection, he shall notify in writing the person concerned of his intention to do so and shall include in the notification particulars of the nature of and the reasons for such exercise and shall consider any representations from the person concerned if they are received by the Minister not later than the expiration of the period of 21 days beginning on the day on which he is notified under this paragraph.

(c) In exercising a power under this subsection, the Minister shall notify in writing the person concerned of his decision.

(d) A person may, within a period of three months beginning on the date of receipt by him of the Minister's decision under paragraph (a) of this subsection or of his opinion under subsection (16) of this section, appeal to the High Court against the decision or opinion and on such appeal the High Court may affirm, reverse or vary such decision or opinion.

(11) (a) A person shall not forge a document purporting to be a certificate or a certificate of exemption.

(b) A person shall not, with intent to deceive, either alter or use a certificate or a certificate of exemption.

(c) A person who contravenes this subsection shall be guilty of an offence.

(12) Where—

(a) a person to whom a certificate has been granted contravenes a condition subject to which it was granted, or

(b) a person contravenes a regulation under this section,

he shall be guilty of an offence.

(13) Where the commission by any person of an offence under this section is due to the act or default of some other person, that other person shall also be guilty of the offence and may be charged with and convicted of the offence by virtue of this subsection whether or not proceedings are taken against the first-mentioned person.

(14) (a) In any proceedings for an offence under this section (other than subsection (11)) it shall, subject to paragraph (b) of this subsection, be a defence for the person charged to prove—

(i) that the commission of the offence was due to a mistake or to the act or default of another person or the reliance on information supplied to him by another person, an accident or some other cause beyond his control, and

(ii) that he took all reasonable precautions and exercised all due diligence to avoid the commission of such an offence by himself or any other person under his control.

(b) If in any case the defence provided by paragraph (a) of this subsection involves the allegation that the commission of the offence was due to the act or default of another person or to reliance on information supplied by another person, the person charged shall not, without leave of the court, be entitled to rely on that defence unless, not less than seven clear days before the hearing, he has served on the prosecutor a notice in writing giving such information identifying or assisting in the identification of that other person as was then in his possession.

(15) (a) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on conviction on indictment to a fine not exceeding £10,000.

(b) A Justice of the District Court shall have jurisdiction to try summarily an offence under this section if—

(i) the Justice is of opinion that the facts proved or alleged against a defendant charged with such an offence constitute a minor offence fit to be tried summarily,

(ii) the Director of Public Prosecutions consents, and

(iii) the defendant (on being informed by the Justice of his right to be tried by a jury) does not object to being tried summarily,

and, upon conviction under this paragraph, the said defendant shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £500.

(c) Section 13 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1967, shall apply in relation to an offence under this section as if, in lieu of the penalties specified in subsection (3) of that section, there were specified therein the penalty provided for by paragraph (b) of this subsection and the reference in subsection (2) (a) of that section to the penalties provided for in subsection (3) of that section shall be construed accordingly.

(16) In this section—

“assurance company” has the meaning assigned to it by the Insurance Acts, 1909 to 1978;

“bank” means the holder of a licence under section 9 of the Central Bank Act, 1971, or a trustee savings bank certified under the Trustee Savings Banks Acts, 1863 to 1979;

“company” means a company within the meaning of section 2 of the Companies Act, 1963, or a company incorporated outside the State;

“sale”, in relation to a house, includes a sale of land and an agreement relating to the erection of a house thereon which, in the opinion of the Minister, is associated with such sale irrespective of whether—

(i) such sale is conditional on the making of such agreement, or

(ii) the vendor of the land is a party to such agreement.

19.—F17[…]

20.—F18[…]—

21.—(1) In this section—

“the Commissioners” means the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland;

“the Corporation” means the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of Dublin;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Health.

(2) The Minister may by order—

(a) for such consideration as may be specified in the order, transfer to the Commissioners a specified part of the land acquired by him under Part III of the Saint Laurence's Hospital Act, 1943, and

(b) for such consideration as may be specified in the order, transfer to the Corporation the remainder of the said land for housing purposes.

(3) (a) An order under subsection (2) (a) of this section shall operate to vest the land described in the order in the Commissioners freed and discharged from all trusts for all the estate and interest for which such land is vested in the Minister.

(b) An order under subsection (2) (b) of this section shall operate to vest the land described in the order in the Corporation freed and discharged from all trusts for all the estate and interest for which such land is vested in the Minister.

22.—Where—

(a) a grant or subsidy was paid by the Minister or a housing authority, being a grant or subsidy specified in a provision of this Act set out in column (2) of the Table to this section at any reference number in column (1) of the said Table on or after the date specified in column (3) of the said Table at that reference number but before the commencement of the said provision, and

(b) the grant or subsidy would have been a valid and effectual grant or subsidy, as the case may be, under the said provision if it had been paid after such commencement,

the grant or subsidy shall be as valid and effectual, and be deemed always to have been as valid and effectual, as if it had been paid after such commencement.

TABLE

23.—(1) The enactments specified in column (2) of the Schedule to this Act are hereby repealed to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.

(2) Where—

(a) an application for a grant under section 15, 16 or 18 of the Principal Act was received by the Minister or the council of a county acting on behalf of the Minister on or before the 30th day of December, 1977, and the house to which the application relates was, in the opinion of the Minister or the council, satisfactorily completed on or before the 31st day of December, 1978,

(b) works, consisting of the installation of a group water supply or group sewerage facilities or both and in respect of which a grant is payable under section 2 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962, commenced on or before the 31st day of October, 1977, and are or were, in the opinion of the Minister, satisfactorily completed on or before the 31st day of December, 1979,

(c) in the case of works in respect of which a grant is payable under the said section 2, not being works of a kind referred to in paragraph (b) of this subsection, an application for a grant under that section was received by the Minister or a sanitary authority acting on behalf of the Minister on or before the 31st day of October, 1977, and the works were, in the opinion of the Minister or the sanitary authority, satisfactorily completed on or before the 31st day of December, 1978,

(d) an application for a grant under section 19, 21, 22, 23, 24 or 25 of the Principal Act was received by the Minister or the council of a county acting on behalf of the Minister on or before the 31st day of January, 1978, and the works concerned commenced on or before the 31st day of October, 1977, and were, in the opinion of the Minister or the council, satisfactorily completed before the 31st day of December, 1978, or

(e) an application for a grant under section 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 or 32 of the Principal Act or section 3 of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1962, is received by the appropriate housing authority or sanitary authority on or before the 31st day of December, 1979,

and, but for subsection (1) of this section, the grant would fall to be paid, then, notwithstanding that subsection, the grant may be paid provided that the application for the payment of the grant is received by the Minister or the appropriate housing authority or sanitary authority, as the case may be, on or before the 31st day of January, 1980.

(3) A regulation made under a provision repealed by this section and in force immediately before the commencement of this section shall, insofar as it could have been made under a corresponding provision of this Act, continue in force after such commencement as if it had been made under the corresponding provision of this Act and may be amended or revoked accordingly.

(4) In this section “sanitary authority” means a sanitary authority for the purposes of the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 1964.

24.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1979.

(2) The Housing Acts, 1966 to 1970, and this Act may be cited together as the Housing Acts, 1966 to 1979, and shall be construed together as one Act.

(3) This Act, save as is otherwise expressly provided for therein, shall come into operation on such day or days as, by order or orders made by the Minister under this section, may be fixed therefor either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so fixed for different purposes and different provisions.