That was quite complex. I appreciate the Minister of State had to cover a lot of ground. However, the real focus I am attempting in my question is on small farmers throughout this country who are sustaining rural communities with a maximum of 40 acres and cannot be given permission to build for in-house cattle. That is why they are out-wintering in the first place. We have cut stone in beautiful parts of the world in the west of Ireland. These farms are small and sustainable. Their principal income does not derive …

I thank Senator Warfield for his use of time. It was good because we are under pressure of time. If everyone listed here is to speak, we will not have time for the Minister. I would ask Members to be conscious of the time.

I thank Senator Dolan and everybody who partook in the debate, with 19 Senators speaking out of 20 who indicated, which was excellent.

When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Is that agreed? Agreed.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I support the Counterfeiting Bill 2020, which updates Irish law to reflect EU legislation in the area of counterfeiting. It is important and it is a good legislation. The purpose of the Counterfeiting Bill is to complete the transposition of Directive 2014/62/EU and to make provision for three additional EU instruments dealing with authenticity, the fitness of checking of euro bank notes and coins and measures for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting. I not…

I welcome the Minister of State. I want to speak on amendments No. 37 and 38. Amendment No. 38 is in my name. These are critically important amendments because they deal with the kernel of this issue, which is affordability. This is the Affordable Housing Bill and it does not define affordability. I went to the Library and Research Service and acknowledge its assistance with any inquiries that I made about this legislation. We do not have a simple, clear, understandable definition of affordability. It struck me as …

These two amendments deal with affordability. There is significant scope in it. The whole Bill is about affordability. I will not preface every sentence with "affordable" to appear to be on line. I am dead centre on line with regard to this amendment. I prepared it myself and therefore know what I am attempting to deal with. This is an important issue that we need to address. When we use the term "affordable", it is currently meaningless. Where is the legal definition? That is what this amendment attempts to do. I …

That is not a point of order.

I want to focus on amendment No. 38. The reality speaks for itself. It is in black and white and in English. The amendment has been circulated. There is no difficulty. If people believe what is suggested and the amount in question to be a cap, we can include a provision in the legislation. Let us have clarity regarding the legislation. Amendment No. 38 deals with several issues and I do not see any reason it cannot be agreed to. I acknowledge what the Minister has said — I read the transcripts of the meetings — and…

I move amendment No. 38: In page 12, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: “(9) Regulations under subsection (7) will have regard to: (a) ensuring that the proportion of the applicant’s net income represented by housing costs not exceed 35 per cent of the total, and; (b) ensuring that the applicant’s income falls within the bottom 40 per cent of national income distribution but is above the Maximum Net Income Threshold, as defined by the Social Housing Assessment Regulations 2011 (S.I. No. 84/2011), tha…

I will also speak to amendment No. 43. The Senator is right. As she has said, if this amendment is successful it would give the housing authority greater autonomy and that is important. We talk about giving greater autonomy to local government in these Houses. This amendment would give housing authorities greater autonomy from the Minister when making the scheme of priority. That is important and I support what this amendment is attempting to do.

I support Senator Moynihan's amendment No. 47. It proposes to cap the affordable dwelling contribution. It makes sense and is a reasonable amendment.

I will speak to amendments Nos. 69, 70 and 71. I tabled amendment No. 71, so my focus will be on it. It is in the same spirit as my previous amendment No. 38 and aims to ensure the cost to persons availing of this housing is affordable. That is the kernel of this debate. Senators Moynihan and Higgins are the sponsors of the other amendments in this group. Obviously they have the same goal as I do with amendment No. 71 but I have opted for a slight change. It allows for rent to vary from person to person, thus allow…

I thank the Minister of State for setting out his view. It is a disappointing one. I know the Minister of State is a part of a line of people from the Department and Ministers. A strategy has clearly been worked out and that is reasonable and fair. I have no difficulty with that. I will repeat that I am favourably disposed towards, and supportive of, cost-rental in the truest sense. Senator Cummins is right when he talks about building, management and maintenance costs of the property and I have no difficulty with …

I thank the Cathaoirleach for his initiative in relation to the National Day of Sweden. I know he has been marking these occasions in recent months. It is a nice gesture to recognise significant national days, particularly those of other countries in Europe. I think his initiative will go down well with them. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Madigan, to the House. In raising this Commencement matter, I am seeking to have tougher penalties introduced for people who park in disabled bays and spaces. The Minist…

While I recognise that the words in the reply are not those of the Minister of State and that she is responding on behalf of the Minister for Transport, the response is very disappointing. The Minister for Transport is telling us that while it is very nice of me to raise this very important matter, he is not prepared to change the status quo . What does his stance say to disabled groups, the 31 disability officers in the 31 local authorities and the people with disabilities who cannot get a parking space on Wicklow…

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Sean Fleming, to the House.

I thank the Minister of State. That concludes Commencement matters for today. The House will suspend until 12 noon. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I thank the Deputy Leader for setting out the Order of Business. I am happy to accept it. To touch on the theme to which Senator Gallagher referred in the context of Tidy Towns and tidy districts, I make an appeal for all of us, with our political connections, regarding the winding down of restrictions and the reopening of society. I acknowledge the importance of opening businesses, doing business and trading and the suggestion that it will be an outdoor summer. I understand that. Even today, the weather is fabulou…