On behalf of Sinn Féin, I commend Senator Lynn Ruane. I spoke on Second Stage of her Bill in the last term. By complete fluke, I am covering for her as spokesperson tonight. She is a legend.

I too commend the Green Party Senators on bringing this Bill forward. It is a welcome Bill and Sinn Féin will support it. I have a word of caution to offer in terms of how, at the moment, it does not join up with the proposed microgeneration support scheme. I will reflect primarily on this in my contribution, but I commend the Green Party Senators and I support the Bill. Removing the barriers from the planning process is a prerequisite to rolling out solar panels on the scale that we need them, but it is not suffic…

I welcome the Minister to the House. This Bill is a recognition that we need to balance the relationship between human beings and the natural systems on which we rely. The destruction of our earth, the land and sea, is imperialist and capitalist led. The current model of our society based on elevated consumption of fossil fuels is unsustainable on environmental and social grounds. If we do not stop it, it will lead to human misery on a scale never before witnessed. The climate crisis is a result of a stage of capit…

The rental market in this State is dysfunctional. Many monthly rental payments in urban centres are higher than mortgage repayments. The rent pressure zone legislation has failed and the Government has failed to articulate a plan for the disorderly exit of landlords from the market. We have said time and again that we need a three-year ban on rent increases. We need a refundable tax credit to put one month's rent back in the pocket of every renter in the State and we need tenancies of indefinite duration. We need t…

Like Senators Boylan and Hoey, I wish everyone a happy Pride. Homophobia and transphobia seem to be on the rise. This year, I am thinking about the folk in Waterford and across the island who are standing up and resisting homophobia and transphobia. It is an important and inspirational show of strength from our community and our allies. Pride is a moment to stand together, share experiences and break silences. HIV stigma affects people with and without HIV. Does the House know that people who are on effective treat…

I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to voice Sinn Féin’s support for amendments Nos. 2 and 3. As was said, businesses have known this has been coming for a number of years. Both amendments are better than what is currently in the Bill.

I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, after line 29, to insert the following: “(i) a gender breakdown of full time employees; (ii) a gender breakdown of part time employees; (iii) a gender breakdown of employees with a flexible working hours contract;”. This amendment looks for more detail in terms of what companies should be required to report. It is sensible and I hope it is accepted by the Government. I am seeking more detail in terms of the gender breakdown of full-time and part-time employees, and employees with …

I move amendment No. 10: In page 4, line 32, to delete “(if any)”. I will not speak for long on this amendment. It is about removing the ambiguity that exists in this part of section 2 to make it more straightforward and clear. I look forward to the Minister's response.

I will speak to amendment No. 14, which is the exact same as the Labour amendment. It seeks to delete the term "50 employees" and replace it with "20 employees". I am going to make many of the points Senator Bacik has made. We just want to get a truer reflection of what is happening by widening the number and scope of businesses that will be obligated to keep this information about their employees. I do not think this is a huge burden. In the long run it is important for us to have this data. We need a truer reflec…

I move amendment No. 14: In page 4, line 39, to delete “50 employees” and substitute “20 employees”.

I move amendment No. 15: In page 4, line 41, to delete “250 employees” and substitute “150 employees”.

I move amendment No. 17: In page 5, line 1, to delete “2nd anniversary of” and substitute “12 months following”.

I move amendment No. 19: In page 5, line 4, to delete “150 employees” and substitute “50 employees”.

I move amendment No. 20: In page 5, line 5, to delete “3rd anniversary of” and substitute “18 months following”.

I move amendment No. 23: In page 5, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(aa) regulations made under this section will apply to legal partnerships and multi-disciplinary practices as defined in the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.”. This amendment widens the remit of the legislation in terms of the different working arrangements that exist such as with respect to legal firms, which I mentioned. I would be interested to hear the Minister’s response.

I move amendment No. 37: In page 9, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following: “(4) Failure to comply with an order granted by the Circuit Court by the person concerned would be a Category 4 offence subject to a class A fine. (5) In making regulations under this section, where an employer fails to publish the required information on more than one occasion within a five year period, the Minister shall request that the company title be published by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission.”.

I thank Senator Higgins for seconding the amendment. As amendments Nos. 41 and 47 were ruled out of order, this will be my last contribution on Committee Stage. Amendment No. 37 is fair. We have already discussed non-compliance, consequences and whether names should be published by the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, which is fair. If there is a failure to publish the required information on more than one occasion in five years, then names should be published. It is not like a "first strike and you are …

This is significant planning legislation. I wish to put on the record that legislation as significant as this should not be pushed through the Oireachtas. I acknowledge, as others have done, that members of the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage received a briefing on the general scheme. It was agreed that they would not push for pre-legislative scrutiny on the basis that the committee would write to organisations, such as the Irish Planning Institute, to seek expert advice on the measures pr…

I am sorry, I am talking. Is there no other motive? Can the Minister indicate how many and which local authorities have identified a need for provisions to allow for the extension of existing county development plans and are seeking these provisions? Has the Minister considered the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020, and orders provided under the new section 2(5)(1)( a ) of the Planning and Development Act 2000, and the impact they already have on effectively freezing time for the prepara…

I would be grateful if the Minister could elaborate on the reason behind this approach. I also have concerns about the impact that granting planning extensions will have on appropriate assessment processes and strategic environmental assessment, SEA, processes. Is it the intention of the Bill that the consideration of the appropriate assessment and strategic environmental assessment applies equally to both a first and second extension? If not, how does this reconcile with the EU law obligations under the strategic …