I move recommendation No. 26: In page 148, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: “Report on vacant homes tax 92. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the vacant homes tax, including an assessment of options to include derelict properties within its scope, and to increase the amount of vacant homes tax to be charged in respect of a residential property in proportion to the length of time during which that property remains vacant…

We support them.

I move recommendation No. 28: In page 153, between lines 11 and 12, to insert the following: "Report on residential zoned land tax 93. The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the residential zoned land tax including options for the exemption of actively farmed and agricultural land from its scope." It is a pity that recommendation No. 27 was not allowed because it is related to this proposal. Recommendation No. 28 is self-explanatory. We are p…

I move recommendation No. 29: In page 153, in line 13, to delete all words from and including "amended—" down to and including line 37, to delete pages 154 to 158, and in page 159, to delete lines 1 to 34 and substitute the following: "repealed.". This recommendation simply proposes to repeal the defective concrete products levy. Recommendation No. 30 calls for a report on the impact of the levy on construction costs and the viability and affordability of housing projects. As the ESRI has said, the burden of the le…

I move recommendation No. 30: In page 159, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: "Report on impact of defective concrete products levy on cost, viability and affordability of construction and housing projects 94. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the defective concrete products levy and its impact on construction costs, the viability and affordability of housing projects, and the cost of remediation for homeowners affected b…

It is not agreed.

Today, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware, is international solidarity day with Palestine and I call for a further debate on the issue of the illegal occupation of Palestine which has gone on for 56 years. As the Leader will be aware, there are points on which we agree. We all called for a permanent ceasefire. We in Sinn Féin have recognised the value in that call. However, there are fundamental points of disagreement between ourselves on the left and Fine Gael and its sister party, Fianna Fáil. Fundamentally…

On a point of order, is Senator Craughwell saying that foreign nationals were objecting to a foreign national?

The Minister is welcome. On behalf of my party, I first wish to send my best wishes and prayers to the six-year-old girl who remains seriously ill, as well as to the school caretaker, who is a hero and who is also still receiving treatment in hospital after that awful day last Thursday when they were viciously attacked. Our thoughts are with them and their families. Please God they will make a full recovery. Our thoughts are also with the boy and girl who, thankfully, been able to go home but who will no doubt need…

Well said.

Well said.

Yes, you did.

I too want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy for Tras Honan's family. I welcome the release of Emily Hand and all of the hostages who have been released so far. I hope we will all agree that what we need is a permanent ceasefire at this point in time. We need to be absolutely clear about that, and all remaining hostages must be released, both those held by Hamas and those held by the Israeli Government. We should never forget the women and children and men interned without charge in Israeli jails. T…

I welcome the Minister. The finance Bill gives effect to the tax changes announced in budget 2024, in addition to a number of other important provisions and changes to the tax code. The budget announced last month needed to deal with a number of shocks Ireland has had to face in recent years, especially energy prices and a sharp rise in inflation. Higher prices have hit lower- and middle-income households hardest and research has indicated that the incomes of these two groups have either fallen or stagnated in rece…

It gets worse every year under the Minister of State's Government.

It is a homelessness record.

The Government lifted the ban on evictions.

Absolutely shameful.

The Government is pushing tenants out.

The Minister of State is giving lectures on housing-----