The Minister of State is welcome and I thank him for coming to the House. The Minister of State obviously had a big day yesterday with the big budget. Well done. The Minister of State helped to secure a record budget for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. That is very welcome. Housing For All is the biggest housing plan in the history of the State. It is set to deliver more than 300,000 homes. I do not believe there is a constituency that needs homes more than Dublin Central. We are coming ou…

Yes.

It will.

I thank the Minister of State for his detailed reply. It is worth putting on the record the work that has already taken place and the progress being made. There are a couple of words that really ring an alarm bell for me, which are, "Dublin City Council advises that this project is part of a long-term strategy." We cannot wait for long-term strategies in Dublin city anymore. We just cannot wait for the council's long-term strategies. The council really needs to realise more ambition in its delivery when it comes to…

I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Historic and Archaeological Heritage and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023 changed from Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Next Tuesday at 1 p.m.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am raising the issue of the provision of social and affordable housing in Dublin city and, specifically, in Dublin Central. As the Minister of State will know, this is the constituency where I grew up and where I live. Today, I wish to talk specifically about the proposal to deliver homes on a Dublin City Council site at Stanley Street. For those who do not know it, this is a city council-owned site right in the heart of Dublin 7. It is between Stoneybatter and Grange…

It is welcome to hear of the thousands of homes that are being delivered. I take the direction of Dublin City Council, the relevant local authority, which has had success in partnering in the delivery of homes. In fact it has already delivered homes in Stoneybatter just a stone's throw from Stanley Street. I am concerned about the reply and I would like the Minister of State to bring this back to the Department. The reply indicates that while the homes will remain in State ownership, which is very welcome, and that…

Before I commence, I extend my condolences and sympathies to the friends and family of a woman who was killed in a hit-and-run yesterday evening on Phibsborough Road. I appeal to anyone who was in the Phibsborough area to contact Garda with information. It is very sad. We will have the budget next week. Yesterday, the largest Opposition party published its version of a budget. I will speak to the issues of housing and homeownership. Sinn Féin’s alternative budget is alarming for renters, first-time buyers and anyon…

I second the proposal of my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, that leave be granted to introduce the Sex Offenders (Amendment) (Coercive Control) Bill 2023. The Bill originated as a suggestion from Jason Poole. Jason and his family tragically lost their beloved sister, Jennifer, on 16 April 2021. Jennifer was the mother of two young children, and was brutally murdered and left to die by an intimate partner. Women's Aid tells us that it receives more than 30,000 contacts a year from people who are suffering from domest…

I welcome the Taoiseach and thank him for taking the time to come to the Seanad, and for the work he does as Taoiseach representing the Government and the country. I thank him for the leadership he has shown in regard to bringing our three parties together, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Fianna Fáil, which are three distinct parties, at a time when democracy is under attack from autocratic powers and those who support autocratic politics. Leadership in democracy is important and I want to thank him personally for t…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, for coming to the House this morning. I want to discuss the wonderful St. Peter's National School in Phibsboro, Dublin 7. I am not sure if the Minister of State is familiar with it. It is one of Dublin's oldest schools. It is located on St. Peter's Road and Cabra Road - right in the heart of Phibsboro. It was founded in about 1890 and is school to almost 500 boys and girls. It is a fabulous school with great young people and teachers. It is a really strong and healthy …

I commend the Minister of State on the work she is doing to support children, not just in St. Peter's but all around the country, to be educated appropriately in appropriate settings with the right supports. That is very welcome and she is to be commended on that work. It is welcome that the Department's building section is going to meet the school. I would appreciate if I could be advised when the date becomes available for that meeting. The school officials will be very happy to meet with the Department's buildin…

I thank the Minister for coming to the House to debate the Fianna Fáil motion on crime and antisocial behaviour. I commend her, the Department, the gardaí and everyone who works to try and make our communities and our country safer. However, it would be completely disingenuous of me not to tell the Minister straight to her face that the people in Dublin city who I speak to every day, who I live with and who I engage with and talk to all the time, are really quite angry and upset over the level of antisocial behavio…

I move: That Seanad Éireann do not insist on Seanad amendment No. 1.

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for bringing this legislation to the House. As my colleague indicated, the Bill has had something of a meandering route to get us to where we are today. It is important legislation. I do not intend to compound or overcomplicate the convoluted nature of dealing with the amendments by speaking at length on them. We support the Minister of State in progressing this important Bill. There are three elements to it, namely, the review of blanket bogs, putting a national biodiv…

I move: That Seanad Éireann do not insist on Seanad amendment No. 2.

I move: That the Seanad do agree to amendment No. 1c made by the Dáil consequential upon the Dáil's disagreement to Seanad amendments Nos. 1 and 2.

I move: That Seanad Éireann do not insist on Seanad amendment No. 3.

I move: That the Seanad do agree to amendment No. 3c made by the Dáil consequential upon the Dáil's disagreement to Seanad amendment No. 3.