More than 100,000 homes are affected by construction defects, representing 80% of apartments built between 1991 and 2013. This represents a systemic failing in the construction sector. Many of the builders responsible have simply walked away. Many homeowners and householders are faced with thousands of euro in costs, yet in government there has been a failure to bring forward the sort of windfall levy on the construction sector that we in the Labour Party have called for, which would have taxed the profits and not …

With respect, we are putting forward a very different alternative. We are not just criticising; we are putting forward an alternative.

It is very different.

I thank the Taoiseach for the report on the Cabinet committee on education. A number of relevant questions arise. First, when will we see a date for junior certificate results? I note a events company in Cork is suggesting it will be around 12 October. Approximately 130,000 students and their parents are waiting the results but no date has been set. I would welcome a response on that issue. We in the Labour Party welcomed the announcement by the Government in respect of free school books at primary level. It is a m…

We know the greatest risk to jobs and economic recovery this winter is the ever-growing cost of energy and the energy security crisis, yet the Government has not countenanced any kind of cap on energy prices despite most other EU countries pursuing some version of a cap. We saw a report on Euractiv at the weekend. I see the Taoiseach is shaking his head so he might clarify this. It appears the EU energy ministers have now asked the Commission to examine how the Spanish and Portuguese model of a price cap on gas can…

The Taoiseach said he welcomed the change in tone from the British Government. Others have pointed out the apology from the minister of state for Northern Ireland, Steve Baker, as well as the U-turn on tax by the new British Prime Minister and her Chancellor. Therefore, is the Taoiseach optimistic about a potential U-turn by the Tory Government on its Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, given this change of tone? Equally, given how fast things have been moving politically in Britain recently, has the Taoiseach been end…

Tuesday's treadmill budget did not do anything like enough for those who are renting and have no security or affordability with regard to their homes. In my constituency, renters pay an average of €2,000 per month, which amounts to €24,000 per year. For them, the €500 tax credit proposed by the Government, while welcome, is merely a drop in the ocean. Will the Tánaiste agree to bring forward more meaningful and effective measures to help renters, such as a ban on evictions just for this winter alone and a three-yea…

Yesterday, budget 2023 was published after what seemed like the longest lead-in ever. With so many leaks, over so many weeks, we were led to believe that this would be a substantial package of measures designed to get struggling communities through this bleak winter and beyond. Unfortunately, that was not what we saw yesterday. What we saw was money spread so thinly that it will go unnoticed by many, and many of those who will benefit will be struggling already by the time the winter is out. There is little there t…

We in the Labour Party welcome any measures that will alleviate hardship for families and households over this winter. We agree that a combination of measures is necessary, but we have proposed three immediate actions the Government could have taken in this budget to alleviate hardship. I refer to a €9 per month public transport ticket to heavily subsidise public transport for all, a €200 per month cap on childcare fees and access to free GP care for all children under 18. Those are the sorts of measure that could …

We knew facing into this budget that we face an unprecedented series of crises – in the cost of living, in energy security and in housing, described as a disaster by our President. We knew that increasing numbers of households are facing stark choices between heating and eating and that up to half of all households are likely to be in energy poverty during the bleak winter ahead. Right now, we know Ireland is just not working for far too many people - individuals, families, households and businesses. Of course, we …

Hear hear.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

We, in the Labour Party, also have concerns around the final motion on the National Surplus (Exceptional Contingencies) Reserve Fund. Indeed, we wrote to the Ceann Comhairle this evening to express our objections to the proposal to consider this motion this evening without notice and without an opportunity for debate. We have also submitted an amendment to require adequate notice and adequate time to debate the matter given the quantity of money that is proposed to be placed into the fund and also given that it is …

We in the Labour Party support this resolution. We support it as a public health measure. The evidence is clear about the deterrent effect that this has on smoking. We can all agree that it is good to see fewer people smoking and to see that direction in public health practice.

A cigarette break might be desired by many after listening to some of the debate. Any reduction in fees of this sort is welcome but it is clearly just a tokenistic measure. Anyone working in the night-time economy who is looking to develop arts and cultural spaces, creativity and trying to ensure a really vibrant future for live entertainment for music and nightlife will see this as far too little and will be aware that we need to do a great deal more to support our arts and cultural communities. The Labour Party's…

Oh, I am not stressed.

We in Labour also called for this increase in the small benefit exemption from €500 to €1,000. We welcome a provision enabling an employer to provide an extra €500 in tax-free vouchers to staff. It is one way of ensuring that workers will get a pay rise. However, not enough has been done in this budget otherwise to ensure that workers get the pay rise they need, in particular, low- and middle-income workers. We have put forward a much more significant measure to increase the minimum wage by €1.50 per hour to €12 pe…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "if and when adequate notice is given of such a proposal, and provided that adequate time is provided in order to debate the matter, Dáil Éireann will consider whether to approve, pursuant to section 5(4) of the National Surplus (Reserve Fund for Exceptional Contingencies) Act 2019 (No. 18 of 2019), the making of payments in respect of the years 2022 and 2023 into the National Surplus (Exceptional Contingencies) Reserve Fund.". W…

I think that was because of Covid-----