2026-04-28

I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy in Wexford (without debate) - Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committees (without debate) - Statements on the Consultation process of Our Rural Future Policy (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Strengthening Workers' Rights, selected by Sinn Féin. Wednesday's business shall be: - Mental Health Bill 2024 (Amendments from the Seanad) (to conclude within 4 hours) - International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 2 hours) - Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026 (to conclude within 1 hour and any division demanded to be taken immediately) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Family Law Transparency, Child Welfare, and Reform of the In Camera Rule, selected by Independent Technical Group. Thursday's business shall be: - Statements on Supports for Hauliers and supply chains (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Voting Rights in Presidential Elections) Bill 2025, sponsored by Deputy Peadar Tóibín. Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business: In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the Dáil may sit later than 10.48 p.m.; and; (b) private members business shall be taken on conclusion of the Statements on the Consultation process of Our Rural Future Policy, with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business; 2. the proceedings on the Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; 3. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy in Wexford shall be taken without debate; 4. the proceedings on the Motion re Consideration of Estimates by Committees shall be taken without debate; and 5. the Statements on the Consultation process of Our Rural Future Policy shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time. In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) the Dáil may sit later than 9.30 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of the weekly division time; and (b) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for the weekly division time, which may be taken on the conclusion of the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026; 2. the proceedings on the amendments from the Seanad to the Mental Health Bill 2024 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 4 hours, and any amendments from the Seanad not disposed of shall be decided by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments to the Seanad amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Health 3. the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of the International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 2 hours by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; and 4. the proceedings on the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (Designation of Fingal and Wexford County Councils) (Parts of Administrative Areas) Order 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply thereto: (a) the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:- — opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 10 minutes; — speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, Independent and Parties Technical Group, and Independent Technical Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group; — speeches by non-party/group members – 7.5 minutes in total; and — a speech in response by the Minister – 5 minutes; (b) members may share time; and (c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) topical issues may be taken earlier than 7.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Forty-first Amendment of the Constitution (Voting Rights in Presidential Elections) Bill 2025, and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil; and (b) the Dáil on its rising today shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, 6th May, 2026; and 2. the Statements on Supports for Hauliers and supply chains shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time.

Are the proposed arrangements agreed to?

Not agreed.

The Tánaiste at the weekend was talking about his Department officials looking at more heat pumps. How out of touch can you be? People need money in their pockets now. We need statements on an emergency mini-budget. Sinn Féin has put forward proposals, including a permanent cut to the USC, a restoration of the energy credit and a cut to fuel and diesel at the pumps. We need this House to represent what people are going through out there. We need a reality check on Government. I am calling for statements on an emergency mini-budget this week.

We are waiting the bones of a decade for the Government to take meaningful action on short-term lets. Where is the Bill? Where are the guidelines? When are we going to see the national planning statement? Will the register be in force for the previous May deadline that was agreed? We need to have a debate on this.

This Government has been talking about short-term lets since 2022 and the regulations that were required. I may not share the same position as Deputy Collins on it but I do share his concerns about fresh delays arising today out of Cabinet disagreement over it. This is in the context where, in some counties, there are 25 times as many short-term lets as there are properties available on the private rental market. We need a debate about this issue and it to be resolved and clarity around it immediately.

Is the Deputy against Deputy Collins's position?

Some 700 workers at Covalen, a major contractor for Meta, that incidentally made €26 million in profits last year, have been told their jobs are gone. This is on top of 300 jobs before that. They cannot work for six months because of what Meta requires, and the vast majority of them are getting no redundancy. They are looking to meet the Taoiseach and the senior Minister. We need to discuss their plight because their jobs have been replaced by the AI that they trained. More job losses like this are coming. We need to address this as a matter of urgency.

We need a serious discussion in the Dáil about the mental health services in this country. A lot of centres are closing down and buildings are being lost. It is a serious issue that needs discussion. I asked for it some time back and it has not happened. I appreciate that we would have a debate on this week going forward.

As the Ceann Comhairle knows, during the Business Committee meeting last Thursday, there were very few issues with the Order of Business. There was a request for additional time. It was facilitated. All issues raised here today can be discussed. I think only Deputy Collins raised the issue of short-term lets last Thursday. In relation to mental health, I will be in the Dáil tomorrow for another four hours. That will bring to 38 hours the amount of time given to discuss the Mental Health Bill over the past few weeks. Deputy Collins is more than welcome to attend. The Order of Business stands.

Is the Order of Business agreed?

Not agreed.