We have an amendment similar to this one. It does not seek to define just transition but to incorporate just transition into the Bill. Two things are coming up here. One issue is the principles, the framing and the definitions and the second is the real meat of it, which is the targets. I suggest that the Minister engage with the members of the Opposition over the next week or so to see if they can come up with an agreeable compromise amendment to allow a definition, taking on board what Senator Pauline O'Reilly sa…

I move amendment No. 20: In page 7, between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following: “(e) by the insertion of the following new subsection: “(2) The references in section 4(11), section 5(8) and section 6B(13) to a Minister of the Government shall each be construed as including a reference to the Government.”.”. I propose to withdraw this amendment, while reserving the opportunity to reintroduce it on Report Stage.

Senator Higgins will move and withdraw amendment No. 41 for me when it is reached.

I raise the Donore Avenue community centre which was badly damaged by fire last week. I will not speculate on the causes of the fire but it is essential that the Department ensures that funding is made available for this community centre to be restored. It is right beside St. Theresa's Gardens where regeneration is happening. It is an essential community centre in a very disadvantaged part of the inner city, which helps people from young to old, those at risk of leaving school early, the old folks groups and the ma…

I congratulate the Green Party Senators on bringing forward this Bill. They are members of the smaller party in government and I have sympathy for what happens smaller parties in government and the hassle and blame they get for things they do not necessarily cause. The Green Party Ministers and Senators have been performing exceptionally well during the past year and, particularly when focused on green issues. I congratulate them on that as they mark their one year in government, as they get blowback from others an…

That is no problem.

I second the amendment.

I support Senator Higgins. I was clear about what it was intended for after going through pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill but some of my colleagues have a different interpretation of it, which is the same as that held by the Senator. I ask the Minister to examine this to make sure the language is legally tied up. I understand it to be a clawback as opposed to an equity share. I think that is the intention but there needs to be clarification of the language and a look at the drafting of it in more detail.

I want to address the issue of cost being cost. The cost over a period of 20 years is much different from cost over 40 years, 60 years or 80 years. I prefer the term "affordable rental", which is rent that is affordable for people on median incomes. This is at the heart of Senator Boyhan's amendment. All of the experts in the pre-legislative scrutiny stated affordable rental for people is approximately one third of the value. We need to work to try to make sure that what we are calling cost rental, but which is aff…

I second the amendment.

I second the amendment.

I move amendment No. 31: In page 10, lines 22 and 23, to delete “or providing financial assistance under section 8 ,”.

I move amendment No. 32: In page 10, line 29, to delete “or to provide financial assistance under section 8 ”.

I move amendment No. 33: In page 10, line 31, to delete “or to receive such assistance”.

Senator Higgins made most of the points I wanted to make. Senator Fitzpatrick talked about what the Minister said the other day. He said it is envisaged that housing would be made available between €160,000 and €300,000, and he gave an example. Unfortunately, that is not defined in the Bill. This amendment seeks to define it in the Bill. This legislation will hopefully be on the Statute Book for a long time. As Senator Higgins said, Government Members can give out figures but the reality is the market and construct…

I move amendment No. 39: In page 12, to delete lines 34 to 41 and substitute “priority to be accorded to eligible applicants in relation to the sale of affordable dwellings referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of section 5 where the demand for such dwellings exceeds the number of such dwellings available for the purposes of this Part.”. I will withdraw the amendment, which involves several technical amendments in the context of the shared equity scheme, and may reintroduce it on Report Stage.

I move amendment No. 41: In page 13, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(4) A scheme of priority shall ensure that 20 per cent of dwellings are reserved for purchase by eligible applicants who— (a) live alone, or (b) are living together with one or more other persons in a household, where only one member of the household earns an income.”. This amendment aims to address the issue of single-income households and include a policy in that regard in both the affordable purchase scheme and the cost-renta…

I move amendment No. 42: In page 13, to delete lines 17 to 19 and substitute the following: “(5) The sale of affordable dwellings to eligible applicants under this Part is an executive function.”.

I do not.

There is confusion about this. What the Minister of State explained was my understanding and reading of the Bill. When I was discussing this with colleagues, a couple came to the same conclusion as Senator Higgins from reading the legislation directly. I ask for a commitment from the Minister of State that he will look at this section of the Bill from a legal perspective to see if there are unintended consequences or if it is worded or drafted badly from a legislative perspective such that local authorities are pot…