In the debate on the last amendment, we talked about red herrings representing a real challenge to the making of amendments. One of the other challenges will be getting people excited about this referendum. Many people, when discussing it with them, will ask what difference it will really make. They often say that what the existing language implies is not what happens in Ireland now and that it is just old language in the Constitution. Irish people are incredibly proud of their written Constitution. Looking at othe…

I also want to mark the anniversary of Private Seán Rooney. I think all of our thoughts are with the families of peacekeepers who are separated from their loved ones this Christmas. The drugs task force co-ordinator position in Finglas and Cabra has been a funded post for many decades. A vacancy has arisen because the co-ordinator passed away. The recruitment process is under threat because of the recruitment problems in the HSE. It is not an HSE position but it is funded by the HSE. It should not be delayed in any…

Like all my colleagues, I call for the remunicipalisation of bin services in our city because this is one of the issues raised most regularly with us on the doorsteps. While I might disagree with some of the narrative about how we got here, I do not disagree that the way forward is certainly not clear. The Taoiseach has indicated that this is within the power of the local authorities. With a very weak local government system, though, we know this is less likely to happen. We had a unique position in Dublin City Cou…

The Minister of State has crystallised the argument. He said there is nothing to stop Dublin City Council or any other local authority from re-entering the market. Then, he produced a litany of reasons it should not happen. The officials in all our local authorities hear this. They hear the Custom House saying why this cannot happen rather than why it can. We should have more devolved local democracy. We should allow local authorities to make these decisions. They should be decided locally. For more than 200 years …

I call Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan. I ask Members to keep to one minute.

From the very earliest days of this Dáil I have been pushing for the establishment of the Finglas primary care centre which is part of the Sláintecare plank of improving healthcare through primary care. We have received an update on the very slow process of transferring land from the diocese to Dublin City Council and then on to the HSE. We have been promised that a planning application will be submitted in quarter 4 of 2023 and I hope that promise will be delivered. I ask the Minister to intervene to make sure tha…

That is unfair.

I have some sympathy with Deputy McNamara in trying to get to grips with a Bill that could be a small brick in a house, with considerable length and detail. As the Vice Chair of the Oireachtas housing committee, both I and other members, including Deputies Higgins and Matthews, have had the opportunity to consider this legislation at pre-legislative scrutiny for some time. Even with that, there is no doubt that this is one of the largest Bills that this Dáil will deal with. I was satisfied with the points made by D…

I too welcome the commitment when the Taoiseach took office to have a child poverty initiative and to have the report. We should note not only did the ESRI say the budget is progressive but it also went on to say it reduces the at-risk-of-poverty rates for most groups. However, we have to work on lone parents and those with disability in their family. There is more work for us to do there. The Pobal deprivation index has shown people’s circumstances have improved and has put us back to 2006 levels but the gap is wi…

You cannot talk about the reform of policing without reflecting on the events of last week. The entire city rejects the thuggery, violence and property damage that occurred. I do not think those who organised the protest can escape culpability either. For whatever reason, the State was not in a position to respond adequately. I hear the Taoiseach say that the Garda Commissioner will have public order units in place until at least Christmas. The very least the Government needs to do is ensure that the resources in p…

As our party's spokesperson on social protection, I am proud of the roll-out of the hot school meals programme and in particular the roll-out to DEIS areas. As the Tánaiste will know, until September, special schools were not included in the hot school meals programme. While expressions of interest were extended in September for 111 special schools, we have yet to see a full roll-out. I ask the Tánaiste to ensure the Minister for Social Protection does everything we can in 2024 to ensure all specials schools have a…

I thought I was after the Independent Group but I am always happy to speak on a €2.3 billion package. That is what is before us. It is worth acknowledging the scale of the intervention in terms of the social welfare budget. There will always be criticism in this House about political priorities. Yet, the ESRI is a respected body and even its independent analysis states that the total budgetary package is progressive. The research estimates that it will result in reductions in the numbers of those at risk of poverty…

As no other Members are indicating, the Minister of State has ten minutes to close the debate followed by the proposer for ten minutes.

Let the Minister of State speak.

It was an accident. The Minister of State still has five minutes. I apologise.

I apologise to the Minister of State for that. I am sure she has no objections if Deputy McGuinness takes additional time.

As we conclude proceedings, I wish to take a second to acknowledge the shocking incident that took place today in Dublin city. I know the thoughts of the Members and staff here in the House are with those involved, their families, the emergency services and the hospital staff who came to their assistance.

My amendment also deals with the issue of the rent tax credit and it calls on the Minister and the Department to lay a report on the impact of that rent tax credit, particularly the distributional impact, and where and what parts of the rental market it is having an impact on. First, I think the renters' tax credit is a really important short-term measure - and I use that term, "short-term" - to address the pressure renters are under at this time. Ultimately, the solution to the high rates of rent that exist in the…

We have strayed a little beyond the renters' credit into the general housing issue. The Opposition continuously tries to promote this idea that the Government is out of ideas. This week I met approved housing bodies and local authorities and both reported that they cannot keep up with the ideas that are emanating from the Department and the Minister. I will not bore the House by listing all the initiatives. Why are they there? It is because we accept that rents and house prices are too high, that after a decade of …

Get rid of that.