I acknowledge the fact that, in fairness, there have up until now been differences of opinion in certain areas. This is a fundamental difference because it is about delivering affordable homes. I will stand over my position and others will stand over theirs. Deputy Boyd Barrett has a specific definition of what a public private partnership is that is actually not defined in this Bill. What his amendment would do is remove any avenue for private delivery. I say to Deputy O'Callaghan that while I will not accept the …

You are conflating matters and it is irresponsible in the extreme.

It is totally wrong.

I thank the Deputies for tabling their amendments. This Bill will increase supply. We all want supply increased. I did not mean to interrupt Deputy O'Callaghan but I want to be clear that this is not about tipping any balance in favour of anyone else. It is about young and not so young people, and individuals and families being able to buy a home. We know this, so let us be clear. I am conscious too that those who have spoken so far on these amendments, including me, are all Dubs. I say this because there are areas…

On Deputy Boyd Barrett's point, there will be exceptions and exemptions for people. We discussed the affordable housing scheme. It will allow someone who may have gone through a marriage break-up or divorce and has not previously owned or have a financial interest in a property to apply. Someone who has gone through the personal insolvency process during the last crash and does not own a property needs flexibility. We will be flexible. That is my intention. I understand the problem of people who have dropped off th…

Tá an t-am beagnach istigh. I will provide a briefing note via the committee and let its members discuss it. Through its Chair, we can then see if further briefings-----

The Deputy seems like he is on it.

Exactly, and should be a full member. I would have voted for him. We will make sure that he gets a special briefing. Deputies Fitzmaurice and Cian O'Callaghan went to the trouble of tabling these amendments, so I will be brief. We know what the amendments propose to do, but I can confirm that they are not necessary, as their underlying intent is already contained within section 12, which deals with the affordable dwelling purchase arrangement. Section 12 provides that this arrangement must contain a covenant requir…

If I may, I will deal with all of the Seanad amendments together, as they all relate to changing rent pressure zone, RPZ, restrictions. I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the House with the Bill, as amended by the Seanad. There have been 13 amendments to the Bill since it was passed in the Dáil. Some are substantial and others are technical. I will run through them very quickly. Amendment No. 1 is technical. It amends section 1, dealing with definitions in the Bill, to remove the definition of "Minister…

We addressed it in the affordable housing Bill.

I thank Deputy Buckley for his amendment. I have addressed the Government amendments I have brought forward but I want to deal with a number of the questions that have been asked. The issue of Carrigaline has been brought to my attention by the Deputy, by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and by others. We will have an opportunity to deal with this in the autumn. This is the fifth tenancy Bill I have brought forward within a year and in fairness to all Members, mos…

These are all Government amendments. Are we talking about amendments Nos. 4, 6, 9 and 13?

I will go through those amendments briefly because it is important that people know about these changes. Amendment No. 4 inserts a new section 6 into the Bill, amending section 20 of the 2004 Act. It provides that, generally, rent reviews are allowed to occur no more frequently than annually in a rent pressure zone, RPZ, or biennially outside RPZs. However, a rent review is allowed during a 12-month period in an RPZ or a 24-month review period outside if a substantial change in the nature of rented accommodation oc…

Cé mhéad nóiméad atá fágtha?

I will do my best to address some of the points raised, specifically those relating to the grouping of amendments tabled. A briefing with officials was held for members of the Oireachtas joint committee. That needs to be recognised. I also note that the committee agreed to waive pre-legislative scrutiny. I thank it for that as the matters we are dealing with here are urgent. Other matters have been raised with regard to the Aarhus Convention and legal advice. I assure Deputies that, as those who attended the briefi…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Dáil Éireann resolves that the Ban on Rent Increases Bill 2021 be deemed to be read a second time this day 12 months, to allow for the Government’s Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021, which is due to be enacted shortly and which will provide a change from the 4 per cent per annum rent increase restriction in Rent Pressure Zones to a rent increase restriction requiring that any rent increase cannot exceed the percentage rate…

Amendment No. 1 technically amends section 1 on the definitions of the Bill, to remove the definition of: "Minister". My full title, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, is now used in section 5 of the Bill, which is the only provision in the Bill that refers to me as Minister. It is just a technical change. The next Government amendment is No. 6. This amendment inserts a new section 4 into the Bill to provide for a technical amendment to section 12 of the 2004 Act, which relates to the obligati…

No. Amendments Nos. 8 to 10, inclusive, are not in my name. I have addressed all the others. Amendments Nos. 1 and 6-----

Yes, I will happily do that.

Not at all.