There is now no doubt as to how serious the circumstances are in which we find ourselves with respect to Brexit and the prospect of Brexit without a trade deal. The so-called bulletproof backstop - the guarantee that no matter what, there would be no hard border on the island of Ireland as a result of the UK's departure from the EU - was traded in by the previous Government for a withdrawal agreement the UK Government is now violating. We have heard media reports of the Secretary General of the Department of Foreig…

The Ombudsman for Children has called on the Government to bring forward a referendum to put the right to housing in the Constitution and to address the homelessness crisis as a matter of urgency. The programme for Government commits to a referendum on housing. As we know, since 2014 the Constitutional Convention also recommended such a referendum. When will a referendum be brought forward? Will this referendum be on the right to housing?

I will not use my full ten minutes. I wish to make just a few points. First, I wish to address the issue of supply of rental units. There is something of a narrative that if rental income levels are not increased, that will hit supply. The one thing we can say with certainty about this is that rental incomes have gone up considerably in recent years, particularly during the period before RPZs were brought in but also since they were brought in. In most areas, rental incomes were increasing beyond the percentage all…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I wish to raise the conditions for people who have become homeless and are living in emergency accommodation. We spend €2 million every week on private emergency temporary accommodation for people who have become homeless. Increasingly, there is a reliance on private for-profit providers when it comes to hostels for people who have become homeless. There is a complete lack of regulation and independent inspection of these private, for-profit hostels. As a result of that, we …

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I do not believe it is acceptable to say that this is a matter for the local authorities. As these are taxpayer-funded, albeit for-profit, hostels where these alleged abuses of people's fundamental human rights are taking place, it is not good enough for us to say that the local authorities are doing this and that there is a national framework. We need to know the reason there is not a robust independent inspection and regulation system in place to ensure that basic stan…

I welcome the provisions in this Bill, which formalise and give full effect to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. It is not before time that we are doing this. I also strongly welcome the formalisation of the authorisation of a force commander of an overseas operation to exercise operational control over Defence Forces' contingents. It is true to say that Members across the House are all proud of the significant role that the Defence Forces play in international peacekeeping. As Members are well aware, not …

The Minister has said that he wants the Bill to be targeted. However, there are two groups of tenants and renters who should be included in the Bill but are not. The first group comprises vulnerable tenants at risk of homelessness and of addiction who do not fall under the protections in the Bill and have not been on a Covid-19 related payment or have not been out of work due to Covid-19. Plenty of vulnerable tenants at risk of homelessness do not fall into that category. This second problem is that a large number …

I move amendment No. 8: In page 5, to delete lines 31 to 39, and in page 6, to delete lines 1 to 21 and substitute the following: "(5) In this section, "relevant person" means any tenant.". What the Social Democrats' amendment seeks to do is to ensure that the limited provisions of this Bill apply to all tenants. I do not think a single Deputy in this House would disagree with the amendment and would not want to see protections afforded to front-line workers, who have been running our essential services throughout …

I acknowledge that a significant amount of work has gone into this Bill and that there are some aspects of Part 3 that will be useful. There has been a great deal of mixed messaging in the lead up to the Bill, though. There was more today in the Minister's speech relating to the public health aspect. We have been told on the one hand that there is a significant public health risk of evicted renters potentially moving into overcrowded accommodation and, on the other, that we are moving out of the public health emerg…

The Minister correctly said that the proposed annexation would be contrary to international law. It is also correct to say that the illegal settlements are contrary to international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention. Will the Minister and the Government be pushing for sanctions against Israel so that we can uphold international law? It is welcome that the Irish Government was one of 11 European governments to push for action against Israel in respect of this annexation but what actions are the Minister an…

I welcome the consistent criticism of illegal settlements and breaches of international law by the Minister and the Government. However, I am concerned at the distinction the Minister draws concerning annexation. He says if annexation goes ahead it will affect the relationship between Israel and the EU. The relationship between Israel and the EU should be affected by the existing illegal settlements that are contrary to international law. It is not just any relationship between the EU and Israel. Israel has a prefe…

First, I welcome the comments that the Minister made about working collaboratively with Opposition spokespeople. If the Government proposals for the committee system go through, not only will some of us not be on the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government, we will not be on any committee. That needs to be looked at. What are the Minister's plans to improve security of tenure through immediate legislation, published in the next couple of days? Will further legislation on improving security of tenu…

I thank the Minister for his reply. He mentioned in that reply that he is looking at incentives, cost rental and different measures. Is he actually going to look at measures that will improve security of tenure for tenants across the board? We need more than just incentives for long-term tenancies. I do not think there is any rationale for a four-year cut-off point, after which one is back to the start. Will the Minister be looking at getting rid of that four-year limit so that, once one has established a tenancy, …

I thank the Minister. I was a member of the Government commission on the private residential sector which drew up the plans that are currently in place. I was a representative of tenants' interests at the time. Even though it was more than 20 years ago, the means by which many of the grounds for eviction in the legislation came about are very clear. They are far too wide in scope and need to be narrowed. This is fundamentally about whether a rental home is actually a home as well as an investment vehicle for someon…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. This debate and discussion on the negotiations over the weekend are fundamentally about what vision we want for Europe and the European Union. On the one hand we hear people articulating narrow self-interest in asking what we can get out of this deal where they are playing to domestic electorates. It is that type of politics that really fed into what happened in the UK with Brexit. If we bring that type of politics to its ultimate conclusion it will lead to the break-up of t…

There is much confusion around the private rented sector and what will happen next in terms of legislation. The Minister with responsibility for housing has said that a Bill will be published this Friday. What exactly is the plan for renters and what will be in the legislation that is to be published on Friday? There is a need for certainty. As I said, there has been much confusion.

I warmly congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, on his appointment. I am concerned after listening to the Taoiseach's comments, specifically around the recovery fund allocation and the new proposals being put forward which will be discussed at the European Council meeting on Friday and Saturday. Under the new proposals, 70% of the funds would be allocated straight away in a formula that is not at all favourable to Ireland and the remaining 30% would be allocated in 2022, depending on economic perfo…

I am proud that it is the Social Democrats who have tabled the motion defending the rights of those on lower pay and in precarious work. I commend my colleague, Deputy Gannon, who has taken a lead in preparing this motion. I also thank the Deputies from Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Solidarity-PBP and the Independents for supporting this motion. If there ever was any doubt in anyone's mind about the crucial role that our care workers, cleaners, shelf stackers, retailer workers and everyone in essential and front-lin…

I have a question about commitments around the private rented residential sector and improving the security of tenure. The moratorium on evictions and rent increases is due to expire in six days time. Will the Taoiseach give a commitment to extend that moratorium, which has been effective in helping prevent homelessness?

I echo the comments of other Deputies in congratulating the Minister on his reappointment. I also welcome the new junior Ministers to their roles. I would like first to focus on the comments on the occupied territories Bill and significant legal doubt. In my view, that is not sufficient grounds for the Bill not to be passed by this House. We could pass it and refer it to the Supreme Court or it could be referred to the European Court of Justice to avoid any doubt in relation to it. We need effective action on that.…