I second what Senator Higgins said. It is incredibly cowardly to put out staff, whom no one has mentioned, to hide behind. "Oh, the poor staff." The front people are those who have no houses. They are the priority. We have to create legislation that keeps people safe and does not see people back out on the streets. We cannot say, "Oh, the poor staff. What are you saying about them?" We are legislators. We are discussing legislation. We are not discussing individual people in their jobs. If you put something in blac…

I wish to speak to the section, but could the Acting Chairperson read into the record the reasoning behind the ruling out of order of amendment No. 9 specifically first?

It applies to the amendment as a whole, but could I have an understanding of that first?

It is obviously not the Minister's decision in relation to whether the Bills Office rules an amendment out of order but I would like to establish a few things as they apply to the section as a whole. What is currently ruled out of order is the deletion of a section. The section read: A housing authority may refuse to make arrangements under subsection (3) where alternative arrangements, assistance or accommodation have been refused by the person within a period of 24 months prior to seeking accommodation under sect…

But they do get advice sometimes from the Bills Office, etc.

I know it is not the Minister, but the Minister can tell me under the current framework that he-----

I will ask a brief question. My understanding is that you have to be legally resident to apply for social housing currently. I may be wrong on that, but I do not think I am. You already have to be legally resident. You have to be lawfully resident to receive social housing. I do not understand why a provision is going into legislation where it asserts something that is already the case. It feels performative. It feels like the Department can then say that it has introduced legislation so that people who are not leg…

I move amendment No. 22: In page 24, to delete lines 17 to 39. This amendment deletes the provisions in section 22 that amend section 19 of the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Section 19 is concerned with the prohibition of rents above market rent. Our amendment removes the deletion of subsections (6A), (6B) and (6C) of section 19 of the 2004 Act and deletes the newly inserted subsections (6D), (6E), (6F) and (6G). Currently, subsections (6A) and (6C) of section 19 of the 2004 Act provide that where a landlord rais…

I move amendment No. 15: In page 18, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(e) has a material conflict of interest of such significance that the person’s ability to perform their functions in an independent and impartial manner is undermined;”.

Amendment No. 28 imposes an obligation on the Minister and the Government to have due regard to the need for the CEO of the artificial intelligence office to possess specific professional experience in fields relevant to the work of the office. As drafted, the Bill does not include any provisions relating to the expertise or experience expected of the CEO of the office. The amendment specifies that the CEO should have expertise across at least two of the following fields: data protection and GDPR; human and fundame…

I move amendment 28: In page 22, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “(4) In making an appointment or designation under subsections (2) and (3), the Board and Minister shall have due regard of the need for the Chief Executive Officer to have relevant experience of, and expertise in relation to, matters connected with at least two of the following— (a) digital rights or technology law; (b) data privacy and the General Data Protection Regulation; (c) human and fundamental rights matters or human rights …

I move amendment No. 35: In page 26, to delete lines 30 to 32. I will be very brief. Amendments Nos. 35 and 36 delete the provision in sections 32 and 33, which prevents the CEO of the AI office from expressing an opinion or questioning the merit of any policy of the Government or the objectives of such a policy in front of Oireachtas committees. This is another feature of this Bill which calls into question the assertion of the independence of the AI office. How can the office be truly independent of Government if…

It is gagged. People might not like the language sometimes when we take it out of diplomatic speech in saying somebody cannot come in front of a committee and speak or somebody cannot have an opinion on Government policy. When we frame it in political language, it does not land as hard. When we strip it away and call it what is it, which is "gagged", it causes a reaction. That is reaction is welcome. When we look and break down language, what it means and what underpins the language we use to make something not see…

I express deep frustration and concern at the extremely rushed nature of our engagement with this substantive and substantial legislation. The Bill was published by the Government on 17 June, with Second Stage taken in Dáil Éireann a week later. Committee and Remaining Stages were taken in the Dáil last evening, with the debate guillotined after the consideration of just six of 80 tabled amendments. That does not give us any sign that there has been legislative scrutiny. Scrutiny improves legislation and we should …

I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, line 20, after “justice” to insert “, safety, and the best interests of a child,”. We welcome this legislation. We hope that it will bring about a level of safety for people, especially women, who often enter into relationships without knowing the type of people they are entering into relationships with. Women sometimes end up in very complex relationships, even when they do know that the people they have entered relationships with have caused harm in their communities. It can be …

If the Minister is saying that the interests of justice include an automatic assessment of the best interests of a child, I am comfortable that this will cover our concerns. I am happy to withdraw the amendment.

I thank my colleagues from across the House who were part of the Committee on Drugs Use. We will get into a more detailed debate when the report comes before the Houses. This week has been quite emotional for me as we acknowledge the work of citizens' assemblies, politicians and Departments. The only reason I am in politics is to achieve decriminalisation. If anybody wants to get rid of me from politics just give me decriminalisation and I will be gone. Decriminalisation of the person who uses drugs is not about a …

I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, to delete lines 15 to 18. Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive - are being considered together because they relate to the deletion of all sections of the Bill that provide for the introduction of the use of incapacitant spray, or pepper spray, by members of the Irish Prison Service, IPS. In that context, I take this opportunity to indicate our opposition to section 5. We believe this is a retrograde and counterproductive step that is likely to negatively impact relations between pris…

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive contribution. I disagree with some parts in relation to focusing only on an increase in population as a cause for overcrowding. The Minister's Department is going to support policies and changes which he has announced in relation to community sanctions, which acknowledges that prison is overused. In certain years, between 68% to 75% of people in prison are there for minor convictions. In terms of overcrowding, a greater cause for concern than the population rise is the ove…

I agree with fewer prison sentences for fewer crimes. Yes, I am.