I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I wish to share time with Deputies Gino Kenny and Bríd Smith.

The skyrocketing rents in Irish society are causing very high levels of stress. Renters ask themselves: “Can I pay? If I miss a payment, will I be evicted?” The housing charity, Shelter UK, estimates that one third of renters lose sleep and one quarter of renters from time to time feel physically unwell because of housing worries, with the price of rent the top concern. That is in a society where people pay roughly 30% of their household income in rent. We live in a society where the average is more than 40%. Skyro…

Some incredible statements were made in the course of the debate this morning. A lot of them were made by the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, who said the rental sector is working well for most landlords and tenants. He also said he felt the Government was striking a balance between the interests of renters and those of landlords. I do not think too many of the renters who are paying more than 50% of their disposable income in rent - according to Threshold, that is a third of all renters - would agree with that. …

We are only quoting what the Chair said during the debate.

The Socialist Party has a unique, distinct and socialist viewpoint on the Good Friday Agreement. The key gain from the 1990s was peace, which was vital for both communities and for every individual living on this island. How did peace come about? First and foremost, it was the result of pressure from below, including the large street protests and strikes against the atrocities of the early and mid-1990s that sent a clear message to the paramilitaries that the game was up. US and British imperialists are not emissar…

Last year, the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, told the Dáil, "it is my view that there should be a citizens’ assembly in relation to all aspects of neutrality." In the aftermath of his comments, an Ipsos poll carried out on behalf of The Irish Times found that two thirds of respondents were opposed to jettisoning neutrality. Similar polls with similar results were carried out by other newspapers. The waters were tested and I do not think the Government liked the findings of those polls, so now the idea of a…

Murphy International is part of the giant Murphy group of companies that operates throughout Ireland, the UK and Canada generating €1.5 billion in revenues. It benefits from big State contracts here from local authorities, Irish Water etc. Last year, a group of workers in Limerick were sacked by Murphy International. They were members of Unite and one was a shop steward. Unite believes they were victimised for their trade union activity. These workers were engineering and construction contractors at Aughinish Alumi…

Some 1,000 Indian nurses came to this State at the start of the year on two-year work permits to work in the health services. They work here not as nurses but as healthcare assistants in nursing homes and as home care assistants, overwhelmingly in the private sector. A real injustice is being done to these workers. The basic pay stipulated in the arrangement under which they came here is €27,000 a year. This means they are €3,000 below the threshold that would allow them the chance to bring their families here on v…

The cost issue can be-----

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to reduce rents to affordable levels by limiting them to a maximum of a quarter of monthly household incomes and to establish a National Rent Authority for this purpose. This Bill would make it law that rents be reduced to 25% of monthly median household incomes with immediate effect for new tenancies and within 12 months of enactment for existing tenancies. The Bill also provides for the establishment of a…

I want to raise the issue of the so-called broadcasting charge. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted, I was told on 22 March: Government agreed to establish a Technical Working Group to examine the necessary reform required of the current TV licence system to properly provide for the funding requirements of public service media in Ireland. The Group commenced its work in September last year and is expected to report to me [the Minister] at the end of this month [March] after which the report will be …

I understand the Minister for Transport raised the issue of congestion charges at Cabinet this morning. Congestion in our towns and cities needs to be tackled. We need more pedestrianised streets and car-free zones. We need free public transport, which the Government is opposing, but we do not need congestion charges, which are a bad idea on at least two fronts. First, they penalise ordinary people trying to get to work and people struggling with the burdens of a cost-of-living crisis. Second, they alienate the gen…

At one point last week the RTÉ News website led with the following four so-called news stories: "High hopes for Biden selfie in front of Ballina mural"; "'Part of his soul' and DNA: How Irish is Joe Biden?"; "He comes as a pilgrim': Knock prepares Biden welcome"; and last but not least, "New business hopes Biden calls in for 'a cup of Joe'". The man variously described in the Irish corporate media as the leader of the free world and as a man of peace was rarely, if ever, described as a supporter of a large number o…

Good question.

I want to raise the issue of the so-called broadcasting charge. In response to a parliamentary question I submitted, I was told on 22 March: Government agreed to establish a Technical Working Group to examine the necessary reform required of the current TV licence system to properly provide for the funding requirements of public service media in Ireland. The Group commenced its work in September last year and is expected to report to me [the Minister] at the end of this month [March] after which the report will be …

There are some things in life you do not really recover from. Will Smith was the "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and went on to star in some decent movies but he is probably not going to be remembered for any of that. Instead, he will probably be remembered as the guy who charged onto the stage at the Oscars ceremony and socked the presenter on the jaw in front of millions of people. Governments are a bit like people in that way. People do not pay too much attention when governments are sweating the small stuff. They ten…

Only two of the children were under the age of 17, is that correct?

The eviction ban will be lifted at the weekend. Where will people go? Let us break it down. Some people will find alternative rental accommodation; they will be a small minority. Others will crash with family, in the hope it will only be for a couple of weeks rather than stretching out into months. Other people will beg for a place to stay with friends. Some will go to homeless services, and some of those people will get emergency accommodation. How long will they be stuck there for? With 17 out of 31 local authori…

Allow the Taoiseach some extra time.

Yes.