May I come in on amendments Nos. 13 and 14?

I will take this opportunity to speak on amendments Nos. 13 and 14. We want to see people get a little more protection during the winter months and the timeframe set out by the Bill. The longer a tenancy is, the longer the notice-to-quit period. There are two notice-to-quit periods, one of 196 days and one of 224 days, depending on whether someone has been a tenant for less than or more than seven years. For someone who gets a notice on 2 November, the 196 days will last until the end of the winter period so the te…

I will speak to amendment No. 9. The Government promised to introduce no-fault evictions. When a person signs a tenancy agreement there is usually an understanding that there are X amount of people in Y number of rooms. Family size can change. A person can have a partner or children, adult children can move home and so on. The overcrowding provision is where a landlord can issue a notice to quit if the property no longer meets the needs of the household. This particularly disadvantages families with large numbers o…

I move amendment No. 13: In page 5, to delete lines 5 to 9 and substitute the following: “ ”.

I move amendment No. 14: In page 5, to delete lines 14 to 18 and substitute the following: “ ”. Amendment put and declared lost.

I move amendment No. 15: In page 5, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “(4) Where a tenant has a notice date that falls due prior to the commencement to this Act and the tenant is forced to overhold due to lack of available emergency accommodation or alternative housing, the Residential Tenancies Board, in the course of mediation or determination may apply a deferred termination date to the end of the winter emergency period in order to prevent the tenant from becoming homeless.”.

I apologise for missing most of the debate. I was attending the media committee. I commend the motion. I wish to give particular reference to the parts of it that stood out for me. These include providing access to suitable breast pumps free of charge to all mothers of pre-term and hospitalised infants and breastfeeding mothers hospitalised after maternity discharge. It also refers to implementing evidence-informed programmes and initiatives to provide support and address barriers for women, with a particular focus…

I want to raise the issue of nightlife and licensing law reform, which Sinn Féin focused on in its Private Members' motion in July before the recess. We had a very worthwhile debate in the House on the future of nightlife in our towns and cities, acknowledging that of the more than 522 nightclubs that existed in 2000, just 85 remain. The whole system needs to be reformed. To the Government's credit, it has done the groundwork. In our Private Members' motion, we recognised the work of the night-time economy task for…

I move amendment No. 46: In page 61, lines 9 and 10, to delete all words from and including “Section” in line 9 down to and including line 10 and substitute “Section 89 of the Principal Act is amended by the deletion of subsection (3)(b)(ii).”. The Bill retains discrimination against pregnant people who should have their AHD. The Minister committed to resolving this issue during pre-legislative scrutiny and the passage of the Bill through the Dáil but the amendment made continues to treat a person's AHD differently…

I will withdraw the amendment, but reserve the right to resubmit.

I move amendment No. 60: In page 71, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 146 of Act of 2015 91. Section 146 of the Act of 2015 is amended by the insertion of the following: “(1) Such review will examine the operation, interpretation and accessibility of this Act and make recommendations for reform accordingly. Such review shall include consultation with, and the active involvement of, persons with disabilities through their representative organisations. Such review shall thereaft…

Yes. I am still a little confused about why this amendment is not being accepted.

I move amendment No. 61: In page 72, to delete line 12 and substitute the following: “(b) a person who, arising from his or her ill health, is resident in a hospital or other similar health care facility or is otherwise (with permissible and practicable decision-making supports and reasonable accommodation consistent with the right to a trial in due course of law) unable to perform the duties of a juror.”.”. Section 91(b) would introduce a discriminatory prohibition on certain persons with psychosocial or intellect…

I welcome that this working group is going to be set up, but does the Minister accept that this is inconsistent with the principles of the UNCRPD regarding ensuring they are participants in legal proceedings?

I move amendment No. 76: In page 75, line 18, to delete “2006;”,” and substitute the following: “2006; (hb) in the performance of its functions as the independent monitoring mechanism under the Convention, to ensure extensive and meaningful engagement with all persons with disabilities in the State, in accordance with Articles 1, 4(3), and 33 of the Convention;”,”. This amendment creates an obligation on the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, IHREC, to meaningfully engage with people with disabilities dire…

What Senator Seery Kearney has just said speaks to the need for a more diverse Seanad also. I have never tried to get around this place.

No. We are discussing people's rights. I am not saying that if we had a more diverse Seanad, a disabled person would be here to talk about this issue. No one would be obliged to do that. I do not talk about everything related to LGBT people. However, if we are to live by that adage, "Nothing about us without us", we need to take a serious look at diversity in this Chamber and among Senators.

I will withdraw amendment No. 76.

I move amendment No. 77: In page 75, line 31, to delete “at least half” and substitute “two-thirds”.

I move amendment No. 78: In page 75, lines 32 and 33, to delete all words from and including “have,” in line 32 down to and including line 33 and substitute the following: “be persons with disabilities within the meaning of Article 1, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.”.”