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If the Senator thinks the only chance Senators have had to speak about this Bill was in the past three days, he should note that is not true.

I am just clarifying that it is open to any Senator to attend meetings of the Oireachtas joint committee on housing, not just Senators like Senator Boyhan, who did work hard on this planning Bill and contributed to amendments thereto long before the beginning of this week. I want to refer to section 51 and, in particular, amendments Nos. 186 and 187. The matter I wish to raise has been mentioned by Senator Currie and, I think, Senators Boyhan and Higgins. The provision of public rights of way is important. I have s…

I have told people that the home loan offered by councils under the home loan scheme is cheaper than a mortgage. If the banks reject people's mortgage applications, they can get a loan through the home loan scheme. Many of my friends have accessed it. From 22 July, people will be able to access funding to buy derelict and empty houses. That is a game-changer for those who have a vision or dream of having an old home. As someone who did up an old house, I would have killed back in the day for a grant of €50,000 to €…

I commend Senator Currie on the amendment. It is often the case that these decisions are made by someone in an office far removed from the situation. We see these telecommunication structures going up and, regardless of whether they are good, bad, indifferent or needed, people presume the worst about them because of the lack of communication with local communities. I have attended many public meetings about them. Sometimes, the information there is not correct. It is when we do not communicate with communities that…

I was going to speak to amendment No. 57.

I am sorry; I will let the other Senators finish first.

I move amendment No. 57: In page 65, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “ “transport infrastructure” is infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians, public transport and road traffic;”. On page 65 of the Bill, between lines 28 and 29, I want to make sure that we clarify that "transport infrastructure” is infrastructure for cyclists, pedestrians, public transport and road traffic. We have to move things along and expand our realm of belief and conception so that not everything is just about the car. It w…

I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I would have loved if the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, had come into the House to deal with this issue. It is an ongoing issue because there is a lot of scaremongering and a lot of unknowns around the Airbnb sector. We have no sight of any exemptions or plans as to what is happening with regard to planning permissions or exemptions to planning for Airbnbs. It is a huge bone of contention. I attended a meeting in Limerick at which hundreds of people were in the room. They ha…

The question I am asking today is when there will be guidance around planning exemptions for short-term lets for people who have got Airbnbs that cannot be rented out long-term. The answer has not come in that there is no timeline there. Another season has gone with lots of people who have Airbnbs living in fear and wondering whether this will be their last term. Have we sight of any timeline to let people know when there will be guidance given to local authorities? When will there be guidelines on exemptions from …

No, just the timelines.

I have deep concerns about the new national planning framework. I feel as a Government we have failed. We seem to continue with the narrative that all roads need to lead to Dublin. Under this revised framework, which only comes out every six years and has just been published, there will be no change in this idea. We set out figures for the regions and cities, including Dublin. The plans are Dublin-centric and Dublin-heavy. The population and housing increases envisioned for regional cities are paltry compared with …

I thank the Minister for coming before the House to speak about this important topic. The first thing I think about this is my memory of going to England and seeing the signs that read "No dogs, no blacks, no Irish". I do not know a single Irish person who did not find that deeply offensive and extremely racist. Unfortunately, because of the stuff on social media now, there are huge generalisations about migrants, which are actually as blatant and as wrong as that sign we had to put up with in the eighties and nine…

This is an amazing day. I think it is the biggest Bill ever brought to the House at more than 800 pages. These things do not happen overnight. Despite what people say about rushing legislation through, this is probably the most unrushed Bill we have ever had in the House. It is three years in the making. There were more than 30 pre-legislative scrutiny meetings. The housing committee has to be commended. No matter what wages you are on, I refer to the number of meetings they had – morning, noon and night. The Chair…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth. I am not sure whether this is under his Department's remit but I thank him for coming in on behalf of the Minister for housing. My Commencement matter is very simple. It concerns the need for the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to make a statement on the supports available to assist people living in older houses of high heritage value to help them to improve their building energy rating, using traditional or more modern building methods, whichever is …

The bottom line is older people are living in older houses in the cold and spending a lot of money on heating their homes. Currently, the SEAI scheme looks like it suits everybody, but when older people living in older houses applied, the builders listed on that website - the only ones people can contact - came down and said they could do anything. While the Minister of State said, "The specific measures that can be funded include draught-proofing of openings, attic insulation, repair and upgrading of historic shut…

No better woman.

I thank the ex-President Mary Robinson for coming here today. She has been a hero of mine since I was about 11. I remember the story of the contraception train coming down from the North. That was the first time I heard about her and I was completely blown away that she, Nell McCafferty and some other great women were brave enough at that time. Even now, it is still a challenge for a woman to stand up in a patriarchy to fight for things. We do not like to have to deal with menopause, breastfeeding or periods. We ar…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: - “Seanad Éireann resolves that the Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024 be read a second time on this day six months, to allow for a full examination of the legal and policy implications of its provisions to be undertaken.” I thank the Minister for coming to the House. Everybody in this room appreciates the work of the Opposition and all the protest movements. I have been involved in the latter myself and starte…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh. I congratulate the Minister of State on his new appointment. It is nice to have him on side. I have always found him to be well able and most respectful. I wish him luck in his new role. A number of weeks ago the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, and the CEO of the HSE, Mr. Bernard Gloster, visited the infamous University Hospital Limerick, UHL. They made announcements about beds, recruitment and so on. As luck would have it, and it…