Tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

I thank the Acting Chairman. We look forward to good coverage of today's Seanad Commencement matters in the local newspapers. I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who is attending the EU housing ministers' summit in Brussels. I am calling for an extension of the waiver that has existed for the past ten months regarding section 48 development contributions and the refunding of connection charges that apply to water and wastewater connections as levie…

Many involved in the sector will be quite surprised by the last paragraph of the Minister of State's reply. I appreciate that today is 5 March and these measures are in place until 24 April. As a Government we want to drive commencements and encourage everyone that has valid planning permission to get on site before that date. However, while the answer given may be valid today, I hope that in the coming weeks a decision will be made to extend the waivers for a further year. These measure have had the desired impact…

I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter this morning. It is disappointing that a line Minister is not here. If there are outstanding items, I would appreciate if I could get a response in writing. This issue will not be a new one for the Minister of State. I am sure his office deals with queries about medical cards in the same way my offices in Waterford city and Dungarvan do on a regular basis. He will also know the stress and strain periodic reviews of medical …

I thank the Minister of State. I note that only 20,000 of the 194,000 medical cards for those aged 70 and over that expired in 2023 were reviewed. However, as he can see from the data, fewer than 1,000 were ruled ineligible, which is 1,000 out of 194,770 persons over 70. I specifically asked for the cost of carrying out those 20,000 reviews and the Minister of State did not provide that information in his reply. I know it is not done on a cost-saving basis. I am sure that the Minister of State will agree with me th…

I would appreciate getting that in writing.

I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, in relation to the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023, it be an instruction to the Committee of the whole Seanad, to which the Bill may be recommitted in respect of certain amendments, that it has the power to make amendments to the Bill which are not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill, for the purpose of amending the Land Development Agency Act 2021 to make provision for the Land Development Agency to raise …

I thank the Minister of State. These are very important amendments. The decision was made by the Cabinet prior to Christmas to increase the capital allocation to the Land Development Agency to enable it to enhance its capacity to deliver houses throughout the country, be they affordable purchase, cost rental or private houses in regional cities outside Dublin and Cork. I have a point to make on this, which is more of a comment for the Minister of State to take away. When the CEO of the LDA came before the committee…

I second the amendment.

I thank the Minister of State for taking on board the suggestions made on Committee Stage. It is important, as he said, that the members of Limerick City and County Council would be informed should a decision be made by the elected mayor to delegate a statutory power to the chief executive officer. As he also said, the need for amendment No. 10 does not arise, as we discussed on Committee Stage.

What is being tabled by Government on Report Stage is a reasonable compromise on the Committee Stage debate. The engagement with the EPA on that representative should give confidence to people looking at this legislation that the appropriate personnel would be appointed to the delivery board following consultation with a highly regarded statutory agency.

Regeneration is of the utmost importance. On Committee Stage, the Minister of State indicated that there was capacity in the Bill to do this. It was obviously his desire to ensure that regeneration was covered. Those two additional functions add to that. I spent four great years in college in Limerick. At that time, the regeneration work was starting. I have been back there many times since and it is clear the work being done is having the desired impact on the city centre and suburbs. I compliment the Minister of …

Senator Craughwell did too. Come on now.

Now.

I wish to make a brief comment before we conclude. I compliment the Minister of State and his team of officials. I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the work they did to bring the legislation through the House and for the constructive manner in which he did so. We were very fortunate to have a Limerick man in office while the Bill was being progressed. Waterford is one of the areas in which a plebiscite was carried out. It was narrowly defeated there, as it was in Cork. I look forward to seeing how …

I congratulate the Deputy Leader on being selected as a candidate for Fine Gael in the upcoming European elections. I wish her the very best. I call for a debate with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, on the national aviation policy. There are many issues that Senators from across the House would like to input into that debate, not least the passenger cap in place in Dublin Airport, the development of Shannon and Cork airports and the importance of regional aviation policy. In that context, I refer spe…

The d'Hondt system has worked in some cases, but there is an irony in it being proposed here, given that in 2019 in Waterford, the d'Hondt system having been in operation for five years previously, when the opportunity arose for Sinn Féin, Independents, the Labour Party and everyone else to exclude Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil from an arrangement, they took it with open arms, without allowing any opportunity for the d'Hondt system to be introduced. It may suit at some times and not at others. What is good for the goos…

I did not support it.

I will be interested to hear the Minister of State's comments. From my reading of the legislation I consider there is nothing precluding what is being looked for here in the legislation and that is the important piece. Is there something precluding it? No. Therefore the local authority will be able to engage with the European Union with regard t all of those funding streams that are appropriate to municipalities. That is a good thing and I am sure the mayor of Limerick, when he or she is in position, will avail of …

Next Tuesday.