I have no doubt that every amendment was tabled with the best of intentions. Every one of us here is striving to make sure there is proper availability at an affordable cost in the private rental market. I believe every proposal is being made in good faith, but I am terribly conscious that over the past number of weeks we have seen evidence emerge of the number of people fleeing the private rental market. I do not want it to be seen that actions taken here are contributing to that. When those people leave the marke…

Again, it comes down to facts. This is about the provision of an in-depth analysis of where we are going, which, of course, is very laudable. The Business Post recently did an analysis piece on the projected rent increases, particularly in County Dublin, and what that will mean. In the near short term of, I think, three years it is projected that they will increase by 25%. If you take the rents that are being paid in Dublin and its environs at present and add on 25% or, perhaps as suggested by Deputy Ó Broin up to …

This is a terribly important point. The guidance going back over 30 years was always simple. The deposit was whatever rent was per month. At a time when rents were £300 per month, I remember well that the guidance was that the deposit was £300. It was not £500 or it was not double the rent. There was never any such thing. That was an old fashioned thing that was always there. Why in the name of goodness should students be targeted for an extra deposit? At the end of the day, the deposit should only be used in the c…

I would like to put something on the record because I forgot to do so twice. I declare what could be classified as an interest in this matter.

To bring another perspective to this amendment, I would like these figures to be noted. In the county I represent, many so-called rural rents are €800 per month. Take off over 50% tax on that and that leaves €400 per month. That is €100 a week for the person who owns that property to maintain it, insure it, pay the property tax and pay the loan if there is one. We should be very careful when we talk about rent pressure zones. How in the name of goodness can you compare Dublin rents at €1,400 to €2,500 per month to …

This is extremely interesting. When you are deciding what will be built in a large-scale development, it is obvious that the people building the development are not stupid. They would only build what the market needs and what is required in an area. For instance, in County Kerry we have a desperate urgency and need for one and two-bedroom accommodation. I know the Minister is acutely aware of that and in a recent visit to Kerry he heard that and acknowledged it, and I know he is deeply interested in helping to prov…

I thank the Deputy who introduced this Bill. I would give it a guarded welcome as it does not specifically mention ventilation in our schools nor does it mention who will pay for the increased cost of fitting these air filtration devices. The Minister of State is acutely aware of what is involved in running a business, be it a small, medium or large-scale one. Some Members in this House are of the view that employers can manage and pay for everything but they must also balance their books and ensure they can keep p…

I appreciate the whole aim of what the Government is trying to do, with the removal of the initial phase regarding the local authorities from the planning process for large-scale developments. I, of course, appreciate it and in a workingpersonlike way. We are talking about the housing crisis. Whether that concerns a local area level, like in our county of Kerry, allowing a single person to build one house for himself or herself or allowing the small- or medium-sized builder to go into a field and build five or ten …

I am very sorry. I did not realise that.

It is right to put me down because if I keep going another bit, I might get a heart attack.

I will take the opportunity at this critical time to say that when we are talking about the protection and the future roadmap that we are trying to make, our job really is that we are charged with ensuring that people will be able to make a livelihood or a part-time livelihood in the future. That is the basic thrust of what we are trying to do. In doing that the Members are making very sound points and sincere arguments. I wish to make one point and a heartfelt plea with regard to smaller fishermen and inshore fish…

In speaking to this amendment, I am always concerned and worried about what I consider to be an additional wealth tax. This is simply because we have to be careful in the future not to give the impression to businesses or people from abroad that if they come here, they will be taxed exorbitantly. I thank Deputy Pearse Doherty for his excellent work, as always, but I want to use this opportunity to speak about the group of people working diligently for the Government who have been trying to come up with imaginative …

I am coming to a point. I will be finished within 60 seconds. The Minister can time me. These people are coming up with an attack on energy, in other words, an attack on the ESB. It is the one thing people cannot get away from and need to have, even though the Minister's Government has done absolutely nothing to ensure a surety of supply. Like I always say, the lights are on here tonight because oil is flowing into Tarbert and coal is flowing into Moneypoint. The Government closed these stations down but they are n…

Like I always do in the interest of doing my business properly in this Dáil, I want to declare what could be perceived as a personal interest in this matter. However, as I always say, I believe this prepares me better for being balanced and seeing every side of this issue, which is so important. It has rightly been stated that the pressure on people, particularly young families, because of the ever-increasing cost of rent is frightening. Any type of relief or assistance that can be given to those families should be…

The Minister said one thing that I was very glad to hear him say. I said it 20 minutes ago and I have heard the Minister say it now. I am very glad the Minister has said on the record of the Dáil that we have to build more homes. I put the question back to the Minister, however. What can we do to make it possible for us to build more homes in Ireland? When I say "We", I mean us, our local authorities and our small builders. I must say once again that we have lost those people. I want to see us being able to win the…

Home care assistants are reeling from the news that the travel allowance element of their pay will not be paid to them before Christmas and they will instead have to wait until January or February. We in the Rural Independent Group have sought for the relevant Minister to come before the House this week and explain this. Every Member of this House knows and appreciates the excellent work that home care assistants do throughout our country, taking care of older and vulnerable people. That they must wait until after …

What about home care assistants?

Everybody here is entitled to their say, but it is difficult to hear other Deputies standing up and talking about cruelty in this sector. Of course, there are people who may not be right at any sector of life, but the vast majority of people who have greyhounds and dogs adore them, and if it is horses, they adore them. Those people live for their animals and care for them and nurture them and want to protect them. They also, of course, want to have sport with them, because that is what this is all about. When it co…

First of all, I thank Sinn Féin very much for bringing forward this very important motion. If you were ever to stand back and watch a kamikaze Government engaged in kamikaze-style activities, this is one of them. If you had a death wish, you would not be doing more than what it is proposing to do here. It has already been stated over and over again that if a system or something is not broken, why in the name of God would you want to go at it to fix it? I am proud of the work that is being done in County Kerry in th…

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and her office for kindly picking me and allowing me the opportunity to raise this matter. I thank the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, for being present to deal with this important issue. I am glad to say that I speak on behalf of snail farmers throughout the country and I wish to highlight their concerns. Not many people may realise that a snail is classified in Ireland as an individual animal. We can imagine the complications, the paperwork and the unnecessary bureaucracy tha…