I move amendment No. 54: "In page 10, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: “Provisions in respect of foreshore licensing requirements for certain surveying activities 14. The Act of 1933 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 3: “Obligations 3AA. Notwithstanding anything in the definition of the foreshore in section 1, and the powers of the Minister to grant a licence under section 3, and without prejudice to the view that there is already provided an obligation to secure a …

I will await the Minister of State’s response.

I had intended to oppose section 6. However, I will make a few points about the help-to-buy scheme, which we are discussing in this recommendation. The extension of the scheme will have a full-year cost in 2023 of €175 million. In its current guise, the scheme has certain requirements of applicants. One must take out a mortgage of at least 70% of the cost to buy a newly built home or of the valuation approved by the mortgage provider if one is building a home. Among the findings of a report undertaken by Mazars and…

The Minister said that a minority of property transactions in the State involve people availing of the help-to-buy scheme. Since its introduction in 2016, the scheme has cost €603 million. That is more than half a billion euro and represents a significant cost to the State. While it involves a small number of transactions, I know that in previous years some 40% of those who benefited from the scheme already had the required deposit for a mortgage. Does the Minister have to hand any up-to-date numbers in that regard…

Section 18 provides for an extension to the measure, the special assignee relief programme, for a further three years until 2025. In addition, in the interests of improving the economic efficiency of the scheme, the Bill provides that for new entrants there will be an increase from €75,000 to €100,000 in the income threshold to avail of the scheme. Existing claimants will not be impacted by the change but Sinn Féin has consistently pointed out, time and again, that there are significant equity issues inherent in th…

I move recommendation No. 8: In page 66, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on the Foreign Earnings Deduction 25 . The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the Foreign Earnings Deduction, the extent to which the relief has achieved its policy objectives and to review its qualifying criteria to ensure it achieves its policy objectives.”. This is about the foreign earnings deduction, FED, which provides relief from income ta…

I move recommendation No. 9: In page 66, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on income tax relief 25. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on an income tax relief equivalent in value to 8.3 per cent of annual rent to all private rental tenants not already in receipt of any State subsidy, examining the social and economic impact of this measure in the context of high levels of rent and other policy levers such as a ban on r…

It is a strong response that is being proposed by the Government and we welcome it. I do not doubt that if I went back to the record that I could find Senator Cummins speaking against a tax relief that is being proposed by Sinn Féin.

If we can bring it back to this recommendation particularly, I do not think it is a lot to ask that a report be laid before the Dáil so I will press it.

I move recommendation No. 10: In page 66, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “Report on mortgage interest relief 25. The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the introduction of targeted, tailored and time-bound mortgage interest relief in respect of primary dwelling homes, considering options for its design, in the context of sudden and significant increases in interest payable on mortgage loans.”. On 14 September the European Cen…

I move recommendation No. 13: In page 95, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: "Report on the tax treatment and economic impact of institutional investment in the housing market 38. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the tax treatment and economic impact of institutional investors and corporate landlords in the housing market, including their impact on tenure, affordability, property price and rental price dynamics.". This rec…

All housing markets are different but the tax treatment of investment vehicles in our housing market must be scrutinised. We welcome the review and I suggest that it be followed by action. We have already seen Department of Finance reports from 2019 stating there is a risk that at sufficient scale, an institutional investor group could, over time, develop monopolistic or oligopolistic pricing power. We ask that the Minister ensure this welcome review is followed by urgent action. I expect this is the first and last…

I move recommendation No. 15: In page 103, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “Report on Deferred Tax Assets 44. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, lay before both Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the potential for restricting banks from utilising the deferred tax assets scheme.” My colleague, Senator Higgins, is at the final meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Gender Equality into which both she and I have put many months of work, on the back of a very imp…

I move recommendation No. 16: In page 103, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “ Report on Deferred Tax Assets 44. The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas outlining the potential for removing the qualification to utilise deferred tax assets from any bank which seeks to act on a removal of restrictions on pay or bonuses.”.

I thank the Labour Party Senators for tabling the motion, which Sinn Féin will support. We see childcare as a public service for children and parents. When it works a State childcare system can be a huge employer and help with the mental health development and health development of our smallest children and young people. It can facilitate parents, especially women, to access the workforce and contribute to a vibrant healthier society and vibrant economy. This is a far cry from the system we have at present which be…

I welcome the Minister and his officials. I also thank the officials for the briefing they provided yesterday. I begin by expressing again my deep concern and unease, as many others have done, about the introduction of legislation in this last-minute fashion. Like others, I wish to place on record the fact that is not a good way to make law. There have been far too many instances of last-minute rushed legislation from both this Government and that which preceded it. This has resulted in a range of unintended conseq…

I welcome the Minister. This short and technical Bill will provide the statutory basis to allow the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to increase the aggregate level of funding that will be made available to Fáilte Ireland. As has been said, the current ceiling is €300 million and the Bill will see it increase to €500 million. Sinn Féin will support the Bill. I have said in the past that our heritage projects and communities that save and protect our heritage should never have to justify their heritage on …

Is it envisaged that community television broadcasters would be also included in the scheme?

That is to be welcomed and I commend the Minister on that.

The last time the Bill was before the Seanad the individual complaints mechanism was somewhat up in the air so I welcome its introduction now. However, my colleague, Senator Higgins, had some reservations about section 139(v) and I encouraged her to write to the Minister regarding same. Her concern relates to the requirement for the complainant to specify the category of harmful content that he or she believes the content falls under. I wanted to put it on record that the Civic Engagement Group intends to write to …