2026-02-04

I move: Wednesday's business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Motion re Ninth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to adjourn after 3 hours and 24 minutes) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Bord Bia, selected by Sinn Féin. Thursday's business shall be: - Statements on Road Safety (to conclude within 2 hours and 25 minutes) - Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Second Stage, resumed) (to conclude within 1 hour and 52 minutes, with any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage on Wednesday, 11th February 2026) Thursday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Cost of Living Crisis, selected by Independent and Parties Technical Group. Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business: In relation to Wednesday'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; (b)private members’ business shall be taken following the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026; (c)Parliamentary Questions to a Minister other than the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken; and (d)topical issues shall be taken on the conclusion of private members’ 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 Ninth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and 4. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall be interrupted and stand adjourned after 3 hours and 24 minutes, or where no further member is offering, and the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b)members may share time. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a)no motion for a Committee report pursuant to Standing Order 111 or private member's Bill pursuant to Standing Order 169 shall be taken; (b)private members' business pursuant to Standing Order 168(1) shall be taken for 2 hours on the conclusion of proceedings of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026; and (c)topical issues shall be taken on the conclusion of private members' business, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of topical issues; 2. the Statements on Road Safety 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, not down); (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; and 3. the resumed proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour and 52 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a)the second speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b)on the conclusion of the second speaking round, or where speeches conclude before the 1 hour and 42 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion; (c) any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage on Wednesday, 11th February, 2026; and (d)members may share time.

Are the arrangements agreed to? No.

They are not agreed. Why does the Taoiseach continue to bury his head in the sand? Farmers are in an ongoing sit-down protest in the offices of Bord Bia. How on earth can the Taoiseach stand over a Bord Bia chairperson remaining in place when every single farming organisation, representing the primary producers of food in this country, says he has to go? They have no confidence in him because he brought in Brazilian beef with none of the standards he insists the farmers must meet to sell their beef around the world. When will the Taoiseach wake up and remove the chairperson of Bord Bia?

Given the past week and the forecast for the next few days, we need a debate on flooding and the State's response to it as soon as possible, preferably today but no later than next week.

I want to move an amendment to the Order of Business under Standing Order 35(3).

The amendment under Standing Order 35(3) will be done next.

Like Deputy Smith, I believe we need a debate on flooding and the flood preventative works that should have been done in many towns and villages that are flooded, and certainly with regard to the rivers. I heard on the radio the other day with regard to Enniscorthy that the river has not been cleaned. We need to have a debate on this.

I was very surprised it was not raised on Leaders' Questions.

Last Friday we had the monthly homeless figures. The numbers of those in emergency accommodation are still at absolutely shocking levels. I have been asking for a commitment to a debate to deal with homelessness figures and those in emergency accommodation. The Government is bringing in a residential tenancies Bill that will make rental accommodation even more unaffordable. This will drive more homelessness. We have been faced with a deadline for amendments to this very complex legislation of tomorrow at 11 a.m., before Second Stage of the Bill has even concluded. It is not acceptable to ram the legislation through in this way.

I am proposing an amendment to have a debate on the flooding issues. Over the past eight days-----

No, Deputy-----

-----we have seen nothing but deflection from the Government, pointing fingers at the weathermen and-----

-----if you are stating an amendment-----

-----pointing fingers at the local authorities.

Deputy Whitmore, state your amendment, please.

The Government is not accepting responsibility for decades of inaction when it comes to flood adaptation and management.

Deputy Whitmore, you are supposed to state the amendment, for the future. Thank you. The Chief Whip to respond.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I have noted the requests for a debate on flooding and on housing. There will be five hours of housing debate on Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 this week: 204 minutes today and a further 102 minutes tomorrow. It is a two-day sitting. This legislation is really important. We will facilitate discussion on Thursday around further debates. At the moment I am not in position to accept an amendment under Standing Order 35(3). The Order of Business stands, a Cheann Comhairle.

Thank you. Is it agreed that the proposed arrangements for the week's business be agreed to and that the proposed amendment be negatived?

Not agreed.