It on the basis of two constituencies.

It is.

I will address it.

I am saying that I will come in at the end. I would not want to upset the Deputy's flow.

We will bring those in on Committee Stage.

We said that at the time. I wanted to get the legislation finished.

There were 19 contributors to the debate. This is the start of a journey. The Bill will go to Committee Stage and we will get an opportunity to go through it in great depth. This is completely new. Limerick voted by plebiscite. A Deputy made reference to the fact that, unlike Cork and Waterford, the vote went through by a narrow margin. I am conscious this is a major first step. I happen to be a Deputy for Limerick City and it is something of which I am very conscious. This is a draft Bill. People have studied it a…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

I thank the Senator for raising this extremely important issue, which provides me with the opportunity to update the Seanad on the matter. I offer an assurance to the Seanad and to the homeowners and residents of the many apartments and duplexes with defects that we are absolutely committed to resolving it. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I fully acknowledge the stress that is caused when defects arise in people's homes. Since the receipt of Government approval in January of this year to draft legislation…

I understand the frustration of the homeowners. I want to offer reassurance to them, Senator Boyhan and the many public representatives in this Chamber and in the Dáil Chamber. As for the facts, the Government has approved the scheme, which requires to be underpinned by legislation. We want legislation that is fit for purpose. Second, we have committed that in terms of fire safety defects that have arisen, the works may commence from 18 January 2023 and will be covered. I have given the Senator a commitment that th…

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and allowing me an opportunity to provide an update. Frank Gunter sounds like an incredible man. I have not met him but he lays claim that you are only as young as you feel. He is obviously very energetic, which is good to hear.

At what age?

My God, he is a lesson to anyone.

Yes. I will outline the current position. The Senator raises an important point. In my role, the issue of providing housing for older people in an area has come up over the years. Under action 6.3 of Housing for All, local authorities have been mandated to consider the housing needs of older people through the housing need and demand assessment, HNDA, framework and to feed this into their housing strategy as part of their development plan process. The HNDA framework assists local authorities to develop long-term vi…

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and I see her genuine personal interest in it. It is very much in her local community. The annual summary of social housing assessments also provides valuable data as it counts the numbers of persons aged over 60 and 70, which the Senator referred to, who have been assessed as eligible for social housing supports. The summary further classifies those persons in these age groups who are over 65 and require specialist older persons’ housing. The new census and nat…

Where are they from?

I welcome Sasha and Zara, who are visiting with Senator Conway. It is great to see them both. I think Sasha is continuing her mother's tradition, so well done. I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising this important issue. Before I go into the substance of the response, I agree with her on it being appalling that people who are not disabled are parking in disabled parking spots. The Senator is probably aware that there is a fixed fine of €150 and if people abuse the permit, there is a fixed fine of €200. However, it …

I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The Department of Transport, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I are fully aware of the distress associated with the complex and everyday challenges faced by people with dementia and their families and carers. The Minister fully appreciates that a dementia diagnosis requires a fundamental renegotiation of how individuals engage with the world around them and acknowledges that driving and parking come with …

I thank the Senator for raising this important issue. She mentioned carers, who provide phenomenal work for society and, more particularly, for their families and loved ones. I will give some background. I am going to read from the conclusion of my notes and work backwards. As the Senator has highlighted, the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, has asked her officials to examine the various elements of means tests in place across schemes in the Department, to review the situation on a holistic basis a…

I again thank Senator Maria Byrne for raising this very important point. As she is probably aware, the Department reviews and changes means tests on an ongoing basis. Over the last three budgets, changes have been introduced to the means test for the fuel allowance, disability allowance, working family payment, farm assist, carer's allowance, blind pension and the one-parent family payment. Budget 2022 provided for an increase to €50,000 in the disregard under the carer's allowance scheme. The weekly income thresho…