I will now address amendments No. 21 and 23 to 25, inclusive, tabled by Senators Higgins, Ruane and Black. These amendments are concerned with how, over time, rents will be allowed to rise to a limited extent. The gradual increase in rent, over time, is a fundamental element of the cost-covering model, which is cost rental, as we all know. This model may seem counter-intuitive, but it is an important element. The starting rent for a cost rental home is the end result of a calculation which takes into account the to…

To compare a sustainable housing tenancy in cost rental to an upward-only rent review, which is a contractual relationship on a commercial property, is to completely misunderstand what we are trying to do here. It concerns me that the Senator could make that comparison. A commercial property on Grafton Street where a tenant is commercially obliged to meet upward-only rent reviews over a period of time right through to the Commercial Court is completely different to what we are doing here. I wish to make three point…

I thank Senator Warfield for his amendment and Senator Higgins for her contribution. Amendment No. 26 would require cost rental landlords to give three months’ notice of any rent increase. It may well be that this amendment uses the provisions of the Residential Tenancies Act for the private rental sector as a reference. However, this does not take account of the ways in which the cost rental model set out in this Bill is fundamentally different. A tenant in private rental accommodation faces the prospect of a land…

I thank all the Senators for their contributions. I will now address Senator Warfield’s opposition to section 39 and his amendment No. 28. Section 39 of the Bill provides for two ways in which the cost-rental designation of a dwelling may be ended. The first is when the owner of a property explicitly opts out of the cost-rental sector, which they will be entitled to do when the minimum period specified in the initial designation of the dwelling has expired. The Minister must consent to the revocation of the cost-re…

Amendments Nos. 29 and 30, tabled by Senators Higgins, Ruane and Black, propose to require that all cost-rental homes developed on public land automatically revert to State ownership at the end of their designation as cost-rental dwellings. The current policy is that the best way of ensuring that cost-rental dwellings developed on public land or with State financial support remain within the cost-rental sector is by requiring that they be designated as cost-rental dwellings for a very long period. This would, in pr…

I thank Members for their contributions. I know they have valid concerns about this initiative and I can see them. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has committed that this scheme will be reviewed after one year, including in his discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If there are any unintended consequences, those will be watched closely. I will bring the Senators' concerns back to the Minister. Senator Casey quite rightly put into perspective the share of the market and possible adv…

I hear the views expressed. There will be a review and the Government will take action if there are unintended consequences or if some of the developments articulated come to fruition. I was very lucky in life to have been elected to the local council in 2009. In the period 2009 to 2012, I remember sitting in the council chamber and so many of my colleagues being so frustrated with the director of housing and director of finance. They asked the director of housing why houses were not being bought, saying houses wer…

I thank Senators Mullen, Keogan and Boyhan for putting forward the amendments. The primary objective of the levy is to act as a mechanism to incentivise the development of vacant and unutilised sites in urban areas for both the provision of housing and the development and renewal of land, thereby facilitating the most efficient use of such land and sites, and enabling them to be brought into beneficial use rather than allowing them to remain dormant or undeveloped. This amendment will allow both the exclusion of ce…

I assure the Senator that we appreciate the urgency of this matter. Unfortunately, I cannot accept the amendment at this point. If something is not working, we must respond quickly because we know we are in a crisis. We will attend to this matter in the Department and I will raise the Senator's concerns with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, as he makes his decisions, especially in the context of his housing for all strategy.

I thank all the Deputies for their engagement. For my period in the Chamber, I have listened very carefully and with interest to many of the contributions made. It has been useful to have an opportunity to explain the Government position to the Members of the House and to hear their views on the long-standing question of how best we can ensure a share of increased land value arising from public policy decisions and investment, for the wider public benefit. This is a matter of significant concern not just to Members…

I thank Members for the valuable contributions. I have listened closely to the comments and statements and I appreciate and acknowledge the level of anger and frustration felt by communities in counties Donegal and Mayo and beyond, as has been alluded to by other speakers in the House. Earlier today, I had the privilege of going outside to meet with the residents who were affected by this awful saga. I received a submission from Savannah, a young girl out in the middle of the protest, in a respectful way. For peopl…

I thank all Members for contributing to this valuable debate. I understand an amendment to the motion has been submitted, which demonstrates the depth of views on this matter. We support the motion and I thank Senator Mary Fitzpatrick and her colleagues for moving it. It is important that we do not rush to judgment in making a commitment to the electorate. We must ensure we give all aspects of a referendum on housing detailed consideration. There are many complex matters involved that can affect rights in the Const…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue. Improving the provision of Traveller-specific accommodation is something which I, as Minister of State, and my Department are taking very seriously. The State's response to the provision of Traveller accommodation must be improved. Since being appointed to this role, I have been fully committed to taking all necessary actions to deliver those much-needed improvements. As the Minister of State with responsibility for Traveller accommodation, and as a father …

In the first instance, I know this must be very distressing for the four families involved. I acknowledge that in terms of the incident described by the Deputies. Obviously, I know this probably straddles a few Departments in terms of defence and foreign affairs. It is, however, down as being a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Irish Naval Service is aware of the incident in question. It has issued a statement that its vessel, the LÉ Róisín , detained a Spanish-registered fishing ve…

First, I want to say to the people involved and their families that they have protection under the law. That is very clear. All Deputies will appreciate that when an investigation is ongoing into an incident, I, as Minister of State, cannot comment on it or offer any view on what the determination of that investigation might be. I must be independent and I am precluded from getting involved in any such commentary. It is the same in regard to any incident that happens onshore, involving the Garda Síochána, the Direc…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important matter and indeed for all the work he has done as he outlined on cyclists being passed in close proximity and the offence that was put into legislation. Like Deputy Cannon, I have a keen interest in cycling but I would not pretend to be in the same league as him. The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible by law for the management of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and deployment of resources. Neither the Minister for Justi…

I absolutely assure Deputy Cannon that we do care. Indeed the commitment in the programme for Government to walking and cycling infrastructure is very significant. I will raise the issues he put forward, especially the other jurisdictions he referenced, with the Minister and obviously with the Minister for Justice also. It is very important to educate people about this as well. I am a cyclist myself and have a huge interest in cycling. I have heard stories and seen anecdotal evidence about the problem. I think "Liv…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter of library funding, which is very important. He set out a very strong case for the reinstatement of this funding stream. The Department of Education has responsibility for primary and post-primary education and is charged with facilitating individuals through learning, to achieve their full potential and to contribute to Ireland's social, cultural and economic development. The Minister for Education is very conscious of the importance of library services and the value of t…

As I have said, Deputy O'Sullivan makes a very strong case. The budget for the Department of Education is approximately €8.9 billion this year, which is an increase of 5%. With such a strong budget, one hopes something could be worked out. We will try to press the case for the Deputy. Teaching children and giving them this skill as opposed to them watching television, etc. can last for their lives. We hope it brings them closer to culture and broadens their minds. The Deputy has set out a very strong case. I will r…

I thank Deputy Gould for tabling this Topical Issue matter. It is a very serious issue. I remind the Deputy that the best way to build houses is, if he could advise his colleagues, to stop objecting to houses. The Deputy quotes the ESRI, but it is very interesting that he does not quote the ESRI on the property tax, which is a progressive tax the Deputy is also against, and he is against carbon tax. Yet, the Deputy is advocating what the State should borrow. That is called "fantasy economics". Increasing the supply…