I welcome the Minister to the House. He is always generous with his time in the Seanad. I commend Senators Ruane and Norris on putting this motion on the Order Paper. I also commend the Cathaoirleach on facilitating these new slots for debate, which allow for panel or constituency debates on specific issues. Too many students, and women in particular, experience sexual harassment and sexual violence at third level. I commend the Union of Students in Ireland, USI, on its work, research and campaigns on this issue, a…

I welcome the Minister to the House. I cannot support this legislation. This plan is unworkable. I do not need to tell the House that young people put their lives on hold to protect older people and their families and friends. They did that to reduce the risk of getting long Covid, as the previous speaker outlined. Many of us have met or know people who have had to endure long Covid. Young people sacrificed their personal freedoms. They had to listen to whataboutery, as it were, on more than one occasion. It got a …

I wish to ask the Minister a series of questions about people who have been fully vaccinated with WHO-approved vaccines but not EMA-approved vaccines and who are still required to go into mandatory hotel quarantining. When will people who have to travel for medical reasons and do not fall into the current exemptions be provided for? I would also like to get a bit of clarity about how countries are designated and removed from the list. I see it as being quite vague and I would like to see more transparency. As the g…

That is not an abuse of their powers.

There is a difference between a person saying that he or she believes in more power for local councillors and extending that power to them, or even worse, taking it away. Sinn Féin has consistently highlighted that the Bill - both Fine Gael's original version and now Fianna Fáil's proposal with the support of Fine Gael - will remove power from local elected councillors in regard to land transfers, and that these flaws, among others, are why we cannot support it. It will curtail the democratic oversight of elected m…

Lining their pockets.

I know them.

The Senator has an ideology as well.

This is unbelievable.

I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(b) to provide land for the provision of Traveller specific accommodation,”. I will speak on the amendment briefly as it is self-explanatory. It proposes to change the purpose of the Act to include provision of land for Traveller-specific accommodation. Amendment No. 7 does the same thing with regard to asylum seekers or accommodation for those seeking asylum. We will come to that. Amendment No. 31 amends the Bill in respect of th…

I appreciate what the Minister has said but I will press the amendment.

I move amendment No. 7: In page 8, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(b) to provide land for the provision of accommodation for those in the asylum application process,”. I have spoken to this. This amends the purposes of the Bill to include ensuring that the LDA provides land for accommodation for those in the asylum application process. It seeks to amend the purposes of the Act.

I move amendment No. 9: In page 8, to delete lines 15 and 16 and substitute the following: “(c) to ensure the delivery of vibrant and sustainable mixed income communities,”. We spoke about this during the debate on the Affordable Housing Bill earlier regarding the definition. The Minister made a lengthy contribution on that. This is to reflect what we view as more positive language, in terms of the communities we want to live in, "to ensure the delivery of vibrant and sustainable mixed income communities".

On public private partnerships, I made the point previously to the Minister that we fear they are inherently bad value for money in schemes where we are trying to keep building and other costs as low as possible.

The most expensive children's hospital-----

I move amendment No. 16 In page 9, line 2, to delete “socially integrated housing” and substitute “vibrant, sustainable, mixed income communities”.

I move amendment No. 17 In page 9, to delete lines 5 to 8.

Our amendment No. 78 seeks to guarantee 100% social and affordable housing, rather than leave it to the Minister's discretion. While I support the sentiment of the Labour Party amendment No. 77, I am not inclined to support it. The percentages should strive to be 100% social and affordable but should be left to the discretion of each local authority, based on its assessment of local housing needs.

I second the amendment.

We do not have constituencies.