The Watson Killiney Residents Association in my area had a SLAPP taken against it because it sought a judicial review against a decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for a strategic housing development by Atlas GP Ltd., a developer owned by Pat Crean of Marlet Property Group. This information is in the public domain and has been widely reported. That case has been taken against eight members of the residents association in a precise attempt to intimidate them against their legal right to take a judicial …

It is completely unacceptable that the Dáil would consider going on recess in two weeks' time when inflation is running at 10%. That means that ordinary households, workers and pensioners, have each lost around €3,500 in income. That is the reality. Yet, the Government expects them to wait until mid-September for action to be taken. For three or four weeks now, I have asked for an emergency discussion on the housing, homelessness and rental crisis, which is absolutely dire at the moment. The families in emergency a…

This morning I joined Irish Wheelchair Association workers on the picket line in Clontarf. I was shocked at what they told me. They told me that they worked during the height of the Covid pandemic doing things like collecting swabs from nursing homes and getting Covid because they were working with patients at very close quarters. They are not getting the €1,000 bonus, which is an absolute disgrace. They have not received a pay rise for 14 years. All of this is because the parity they used to have with healthcare a…

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are using a faked concern for the well-being and welfare of our soldiers and our Defence Forces in order to abandon neutrality because they want to join the big boys club of the European militarisation project and get closer to NATO. PESCO is indistinguishably and inextricably connected to NATO in their interoperability. Let us be honest: Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are embarrassed by our neutrality. They always have been and they see concern about the well-being of our troops and the Ukrain…

I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to reduce rents to affordable levels by limiting them to a maximum of a quarter of monthly household incomes and to establish a National Rent Authority for this purpose. The purpose of this Bill is to amend the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 to reduce rents to affordable levels by limiting them to a maximum of a quarter of median monthly household incomes and to establish a national rent authority to overse…

I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Newsflash - Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council just confirmed to me in the last few minutes that there are no family placements for people who are in need of emergency accommodation anywhere in Dublin. It is the first time this has ever happened. For Niamh and Anthony, a working couple both of whom are working, and their two children who are just finishing up school this week, this is a real problem, as it is for many others. Yesterday, through no fault of their own, they were evicted by their landlord on ground…

Please do not interrupt me.

I would like an explanation from the Minister of State. There is a load of amendments that have nothing whatsoever to do with the Bill that was originally discussed in the Dáil. The expression we use is that they are outside the scope of the Bill. They are completely outside of the scope of the Bill that was discussed here and they just appeared. The Minister of State might tell me there was great debate but from what I have heard from the Seanad, there was not much understanding of where these things came from the…

It is a joke anyway. We only have half an hour.

If we get one amendment done, we will be lucky.

This is a totally-----

I would like to hear the Minister of State first.

I just find this extraordinary. The Minister of State is telling us he cannot answer the questions about these amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act that we have never debated in the Dáil and that are contained in building control legislation. The Minister of State who is taking the session does not know the answers. That is a joke of legislation. It absolutely makes a sham of legislation. I cannot believe it; well I can believe it actually, from this Government, but it is flipping outrageous. Do not get me w…

It is sharp practice.

I am not blaming the Acting Chairman.

But just for the record, if we try to introduce amendments to a Bill that are outside its scope, we are laughed out of the room. We are not even given explanations. They are just ruled out of order, full stop. We are told this has nothing to do with the Bill. Now we have a whole load of them that are outside the scope of the Bill.

He is speaking on the amendment.

He is speaking on the amendment.

He is speaking to the amendment.