A freedom of information request that I received showed that 15,000 people applied for just 75 homes in Cork city in a seven-week period. That is an average of 200 families for every home that came on choice-based letting, CBL. In just one allocation, seven two-bedroom properties received 945 applications. The Tánaiste talks about the Government turning a corner but for the 938 families that were devastated when they did not get a home, that does not sound like anything. I will offer two other examples. There are t…

It was 15,000 people, Tánaiste.

I remember standing outside Collins Barracks in Cork with wives, partners, mothers and children who were fighting to improve the terms and conditions of their husbands, partners and loved ones in the Defence Forces because they did not have the ability to do it themselves. I know that is the core of this Bill but it does not go far enough. Members of the Defence Forces must be listened to and involved. How will the Government sort out recruitment and retention if it does not have the Defence Forces at the core of t…

I am very disappointed that neither the Minister for Education nor the Minister of State with responsibility for special education is here today. This goes to the heart of the way Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig has been treated. It is insulting to the seriousness of this issue we have tabled that the Ministers are not here to discuss it. Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig in Cork has been trying to secure special classes for over 11 years, since 2013. The principal, staff, board of management and parents have done everything t…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle because I think he has highlighted an important issue. It is shocking to go back over some of the points in this reply. Mention was made of supporting children and enabling students with additional needs to receive an education. The Minister of State also said it is a priority to ensure that all children have an appropriate school placement. He said that €2.7 billion is being spent. He spoke about these points and then, at the same time, he spoke about the Department refusing to knock do…

All the children of the nation should be cherished equally. They are not being cherished in Ballincollig. There are children with additional and special needs who have nowhere to go to school. It is a disgrace.

Kinsale and Bandon are not local, just to let the Minister of State know that. I see parents who have to take their kids all over Cork. It is not good enough.

I move amendment No. 64: In page 92, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following: “Prohibition of Credit Card Gambling 113. (1) A licence to which this section relates shall not be issued by the Authority to an applicant for such licence unless the application is accompanied by an undertaking given by the applicant in the prescribed form stating that if the licence is issued then, during the period to which that licence remains in force, that applicant as the holder of the licence— (a) will not accept bets or ot…

I ask the Minister of State to reconsider his position on this. This is a constructive and positive amendment. It seeks to protect people who are vulnerable and at risk. It would prevent people from losing money they do not have. I take on board the Minister of State's sincerity with regard to the Bill and that he is trying to bring forward the best possible legislation, but we have to protect people from losing money they do not have. We met numerous groups about different parts of the Bill relating to gambling ha…

What subsection is that?

I did not take that from this, but if the Minister of State is giving a commitment that this legislation will ban the use of credit cards, not just online but for all gambling, I accept that. It is in store anyway.

First, I welcome the Minister of State's decision to bring forward amendments in the Seanad. This is a very important Bill. The reason it did not get the scrutiny it needed in the justice committee is that no one thought charities or sporting organisations would be covered. People view gambling as online gambling, betting shops and in-person gambling. They do not look at the GAA, sporting organisations, schools or a hospice. They see people going into a betting office or on their phones gambling online. There was s…

Mr. Ahern and I had a meeting about coaching the other night. He does a lottery for the club every Sunday night, as does Mr. Tommy Collins and another few lads, all of whom are volunteers. I mentioned what was happening and Mr. Ahern could not believe it. He did not know about it. I was talking to people in GAA clubs over the weekend. I was talking to a club treasurer and I asked him if his club could operate without the €4,000 or €5,000 it makes through the Cork county board members' draw every year. He asked me w…

I do not want to be confrontational or get into an argument. I sat in for some of the justice committee because my remit is addiction, recovery and well-being. It is very important that this Bill is right. At no stage did anyone feel - maybe I am wrong here - that this would affect sporting organisations and charities. That was never the intention. This was for the likes of Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and the big global companies that are using every trick in the book. They are advertising at the moment using top intern…

I hope the Minister will be able to clarify. One of the requests of the groups and people I have met is that there would be a complete ban on all inducements, including free bets, free spins or that people get €20 or €30 if they sign up. It is my understanding, and I will stand corrected if I am wrong, that the Minister of State said that specific people and groups cannot be targeted. I think it is 80% of the money gambled comes from 20% of people. I do not know if that figure is wrong but I think it is accurate. T…

I hear what the Minister of State is saying but people in addiction services, those who have family members affected by gambling and those who are in recovery tell us that these free bets, even if they are free to everyone, are a hook to get people into gambling. We have met with the people on the ground and that is what they have told us. The Minister of State made a point about giving companies the opportunity to be able to do promotions. He spoke very passionately last week about the issues we have with gambling…

I would like to speak.

On amendment No. 93, previously this provision applied to remote and in-person gambling. Will that remain the case or will this only cover remote gambling? In the past, there was a lead time for signing up to a service. Will the regulations ensure that people cannot sign up to such services? Some people had a two or three-day period where they could sign up and open an account, and if they did not produce the right documents within 24, 48 or 72 hours, the account would be shut. Will people now be unable to open an …

Last Friday, the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, revealed that 544 families and individuals received notices to quit in Cork city in the first three months of the year. Those are people who are facing eviction in the next few months. Can you imagine being one of those parents not knowing where you and your family are going to live in a few months' time? In a seven-week period, 15,000 families and individuals applied for 75 houses on Cork City Council's choice-based letting, CBL, site. There were 15,000 applicatio…

What about the 544 families?