Eoin Ó Broin

I welcome the new Deputy's strong opposition to the introduction of this unjustified charge. I just want to let him know that in a matter of weeks we will table legislation - to be debated in this House - to remove Part 2 of the Water Services Act 2017 to ensure that neither this nor a future Government can introduce such a charge. I very much look forward to the Deputy's and the Minister's strong…

We voted against the Government legislation.

I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — under significant pressure from the Opposition, the Government reopened the Social Housing Tenant in-Situ Scheme in 2022, and, following further pressure from the Opposition, provided much needed flexibility in the operation of the scheme in 2023; — since April 2023, more than 2,500 households have been prevented from becoming homeless because of the sc…

As the Minister knows, last year, more than 16,000 eviction notices were issued by landlords to tenants in the private rental sector and more than half of those eviction notices were on grounds of sale. The sale of property is the single largest driver of homelessness for families, couples, singles and pensioners. As a consequence, in the past year alone, the number of people in emergency accommod…

The concern - and it is a genuine concern - that has motivated us in bringing forward this Private Members' motion is that the capital funding announced by the Minister's Department to date, and the new restrictive eligibility criteria, will result in fewer tenant in situ purchases this year than last year, even if the demand is the same. That is the central concern here. The total capital allocat…

On behalf of Sinn Féin, I thank the individual members of the commission and its secretariat and all those other individuals and professionals who assisted it in its work over the two and a half years. This is, as the Minister of State said, an incredibly significant piece of work. It is on a par with the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, Housing in Ireland 2005 report. It is a benchmark…

Hear, hear.

The Minister should be here. This is unprecedented.

I thank the Social Democrats for tabling this very important Private Members' motion. Sinn Féin is happy to support it. As is often the case in these debates, there are some policy details where we have differences of emphasis but we fully support its spirit, and on that basis we are opposing the Government's amendment. This really is unprecedented. The line Minister was not available last week; …

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Hear, hear.

Not true. At least they could afford the houses, unlike under the Government's policy.

But we told you this was going to happen. You ignored our advice.

We told you how to do it properly and you ignored our advice.

I am just reminding you, Taoiseach. We gave you an alternative and you ignored it.

As am I.

Absolutely not. I am happy where I am, Taoiseach.

Hear, hear.

We would reduce prices and rents.

We have very different policies.

But still less money this year than last.

It is still less money this year than last, Taoiseach.

Misleading the House again.

Less money for social and affordable housing than last year.