For years, we in Sinn Féin, led by Deputy Ó Broin, have called for a rent freeze to stop rents, which are already out of control, from increasing further and further hammering young people. Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and vested interests including property speculators have allowed the so-called housing market to dictate how much money can be taken from a young person's salary to secure a roof over his or her head. Their policies have robbed our young people of hope. These parties' unwavering defence of the property mar…

I will share my time with Deputy Conway-Walsh. I will begin by saying that those of us in Sinn Féin will support this Bill. The latest Residential Tenancies Board report has shown that 1,100 notices to quit were issued despite a ban being in place. Sinn Féin has repeatedly called on the Minister to ban evictions and to halt rent increases. Rents are crippling people and they are robbing the majority of renters of their income. Rents in north Dublin city now average €2,000 per month. That is more than €450 per week,…

I thank Deputies O'Reilly and Kerrane for bringing this important motion to the House tonight. People should be entitled to retire at the age of 65 on a full State pension if that is their choice. It is unacceptable that they are expected to sign for jobseeker's benefit at the age of 65. The decision to get rid of the State pension transition payment was cynical and that must be reversed. The sum of €45 a week might not sound like a lot of money to some, but it makes a big difference to people who are struggling to…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic. I am a member of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community and we engaged with Pavee Point, the Irish Traveller Movement and the National Traveller Women's Forum on Tuesday. The experiences recounted by those organisations are concerning, but not surprising. Traveller accommodation is something that politicians do not get right. We heard promises of a sea change in 2015 after the tragic fire at the halting site in Carrickmines. At the time,…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It will benefit so many people, and I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, for bringing it to the floor of the Dáil. The culture of insurance companies ripping off their customers is an issue with which we are all very familiar. This Bill seeks to change that culture and pass on the savings to customers because it is the right thing to do. Insurance companies have used rising claims to justify price hikes over recent years, but not passing the savings on to customers …

I welcome the opportunity to contribute on the Bill, which I hope will finally deal with the scheme's inequalities and make the scheme fairer for those who are going into residential care for longer than a couple of years. The care we will get in our senior years is something that we all worry about. We want to be sure that we receive the best care possible and keep as much of our independence as we can. We want to be treated with dignity and respect. We need to start considering how to deal with the care of older …

Does this motion, which the Minister has speedily introduced, represent progress? Yes, it does. Does it go far enough? No, it does not. Was the Government dragged kicking and screaming by us, other Opposition parties and the public into making these changes? Yes, it was. Yet again, large investment funds with the sole interest of making mega profits from the misery of young families desperate to purchase their own homes were allowed into our country at the behest of this and previous Fine Gael Governments to destro…

The Sinn Féin motion stands up for young people. It puts those young people and their right to buy a home ahead of developers and institutional investment funds. The Government's policies continue to fail young people caught up in this housing crisis caused by this Government and its Fine Gael-led predecessors. The Minister said he had the solutions when he was in opposition but now he in government and is continuing to act in the same way as Fine Gael. He is dancing to the tune of the developers and investment fun…

There has been much discussion of this legislation over the past few months. I am glad the debate on Second Stage is being given the time it deserves. The view among environmental activists is that the Bill does not go anywhere near where it should. Notwithstanding the good provisions it contains, many people have concerns. A large number of constituents have contacted my office to express their concerns about the provisions in the Bill and, even more so, what is not in the Bill. A key focus for me is the need for …

I welcome the opportunity to speak on today's motion. I am sure many of the 500,000 carers in this State are watching this debate, hoping that they finally get the recognition they deserve. They are sick and tired of meaningless words, along with pats on the back. They are doing the work of the State and are in dire need of a break. As some Members have already said, they have been largely ignored but their value to this State is unquestionable. Carers' goodwill, however, is used against them and they have been tak…

I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I thank my colleague, Deputy Ó Snodaigh, for bringing it forward. Over the years, we have seen the history of Moore Street and the surrounding areas reduced to plaques in high places where eyes do not go. We have even seen Fine Gael Ministers in the courts on this issue, fighting the side of big business and private interests. The walking tours of Dublin bring the area to life now and again, but most of the time one would be forgiven for thinking it has s…

The mother and baby homes commission was set up six years ago. Its job was to investigate one of the darkest periods in our State's history and provide some closure and a sense of justice to victims and survivors. Six years after the commission's establishment and its final report, it is unacceptable that we are discussing how the State has once again failed survivors. It is disgraceful. The events of recent weeks have re-traumatised survivors and this is not good enough. This commission was supposed to be a line i…

Public land is a public asset. Public homes should be built on public lands but at prices that are affordable to the public. It is not a difficult idea to understand. Local councils in the past built most of Dublin's houses and we need to get back to that. Sinn Féin believes in this model of delivering affordable housing for families. We will not stand back and allow the Government sell off our public land to the highest bidder to build homes that no one can afford. My constituency of Dublin Bay North needs afforda…

The last year has been difficult for all children, with schools closing, sports being cancelled and all the other activities that children do grinding to a halt. The Child Care Law Reporting Project has stated that already vulnerable children have been made more vulnerable by the coronavirus pandemic. It said that some children were so severely neglected that they had to be hospitalised. The coronavirus has exposed the State's failings. Children received support, security, welfare and nutrition in school and in oth…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and I commend Deputy Pringle on bringing it before us. Sinn Féin is a strong advocate for economic, social and cultural rights, all of which are covered by different aspects of this Bill. Enshrining economic, social and cultural rights within our Constitution is a progressive step, and one which, I believe, all parties should support. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was ratified by Ireland in 1989. Thirty two years on, its principles…

Tonight's Bill seeks to introduce paid leave to victims of domestic violence, which should have been introduced years ago. Domestic violence services are being put under considerable pressure to meet the demand of people seeking to engage with them. That is very concerning to all of us. The failure to invest in these services in recent years and the cuts from a decade ago are still being felt across the sector, and they are being felt by many who need their help. Victims presenting to services are being told there …

Many Deputies have been contacted by people in their constituencies about scrambler and quad bikes being used in public places. This motion aims to tackle that scourge. The debate on this issue has been going on for years in communities and at joint policing committee, JPC, meetings and it has been raised many times on the floor of the Dáil. The Garda does not have the powers it needs to seize these bikes and take them out of our public spaces. It is in the interests of public safety that gardaí get the powers and …

The Minister of State, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, is aware that the majority of Dublin city councillors last night voted against the disposal of the Lawrence Lands site to a private developer. Let us be clear: the councillors voted for public housing on public land. The proposal that was put forward by Dublin City Council, DCC, was not acceptable to local councillors. The price of the so-called affordable houses ranged from €325,000 to €380,000. This is completely unacceptable. In what world is that affordable? People …

The Finance Bill is the bread and butter of the changes the Government makes as a result of what most people call the budget, which happens each year. It comes and goes overnight. Most people do not know how the budget affects them until they see changes on a payslip, apply for social protection supports or go to the shop to buy some goods. The changes to the USC threshold for lower earners will give people a small increase in their earnings. Any increase is welcome, but the amount will certainly not be life-changi…

Budget 2021 should have been the budget that gave workers and families a break. I welcome the positive measures in it but it does not go far enough. It does not give security to those who are worried about their future, given the uncertain times that lie ahead. The failure to reinstate the pandemic unemployment payment is baffling. It should not have been cut in the first place. Not only that, but the Government intends to cut this payment further in the new year. This will simply make the situation worse for many …