I have a simple question for the Minister of State to which I want a direct answer. How does taking away these powers from local authorities make things better?

Amendment No. 12 proposes a different definition of gaming. We actually recommend the UK definition of gaming. It seems to be slightly more open to adaptation to keep up with modern times. We need to be conscious of how gaming will evolve, especially for young children through such things as loot boxes in video games. Amendment No. 19 defines as lotteries for the purpose of the legislation the commercial draw companies that frequently use a question of nominal difficulty to elicit as many entries as possible.

I move amendment No. 19: In page 18, line 13, after “raffle” to insert “, a quiz featuring an element of chance”. I will withdraw this amendment with the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Well said.

On this first day back, I will raise the issues of housing and health, as I have on each occasion we have come back. I raise the issue of housing because the housing crisis continues to worsen. The figures and the record of the Government are particularly stark. When it took office, there was 231 homeless adults and 62 homeless children in Limerick, including 41 families. Four years later, the Government has now doubled the number of homeless adults in Limerick to 442. It has tripled the number of homeless children…

These are the results of deliberate decisions by this Government, specifically the disastrous decision to lift the ban on evictions. However, it gets worse because over the course of this Government, the cost of renting in Limerick has gone up by over €10,000. That is the reality and again, that was a political choice. The Government could have frozen rents; it chose not to. Now people are being put to the pins of their collars trying to save each month just to make those rents so they can make extortionate profits…

Forget the 40,000 women and children-----

Senator O'Sullivan's comments are a disgrace.

Does anyone in Fianna Fáil have anything to say about his comments?

His comments are disgraceful.

Senator O'Sullivan is being silent on genocide.

Well said.

I move amendment No. 146: In page 107, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “(i) a statement demonstrating the manner in which the plan incorporates objectives to facilitate and support culture and recreation, including artistic creativity and performance, and to secure access for all to participate in, learn, enjoy, and engage with the arts in their community, including through the provision, protection and promotion of cultural spaces within the functional area to which the development plan relates.”…

I move amendment No. 147: In page 107, line 28, after “facilities,” to insert “cultural spaces,”.

I move amendment No. 148: In page 107, line 28, after “facilities,” to insert “night venues,”.

I move amendment no. 149: In page 107, line 29, after “for” to insert “cultural,”.

I move amendment No. 151: In page 107, line 36, after “facilities,” to insert “cultural spaces,”.

I move amendment No. 152: In page 107, line 36, after “facilities,” to insert “night venues,”.

I move amendment No. 153: In page 107, line 37, after “for” to insert “cultural,”.

That is a fair point. I am going to try to be brief because we want to get through as much as we can. I will start by saying that Sinn Féin is extremely disappointed with how the Minister is dealing with the Bill. He produced hundreds of amendments on Report Stage in the Dáil, with no opportunity for people to scrutinise them. There are hundreds of amendments here that we simply will not get to today because there is a guillotine. This is entirely wrong. We know what happens when legislation is rushed through the H…