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Minister and were flagged with the Business Committee last month for further discussion in this House. We still do not have clarity on any of them. It appears to me right now that the Minister is not prepared for the launch date on 1 January. This amendment goes

they are being treated is appalling. The flaws in Ireland's housing regulation and receivership system are being taken advantage of. I plead with the Minister of State to make the right decision and intervene to protect these five homebuyers and families who remain and want their contracts

them have been recognised or had anything named after them. Even in this House, there were only men on the wall for many years. Thankfully, we all decided to put it right. We have started the process, but we have not got there yet. We now have

putting their own money into solar panels. They are looking at the electricity bill, they are looking at the roof on the house and the farm shed, and they are making a decision to invest. That investment is something that should help them for years to come. Even … just keeping their lives going. Whether it is the electricity coming into the house or trying to operate a small business or farm, everyone can benefit from being energy independent in their own right. That is what solar panels give people. I understand about if the grid does

have corresponded previously on this with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. We should engage on this and we are happy to do so. I thank the Deputy for putting a human face on the issue of homelessness. He was right to do so because we can lose … domestic violence was raised in this House not that long ago, perhaps by Deputies Farrell and O'Reilly. Reference was made to people fleeing domestic violence who seek to move from one local authority area to another. The Deputies were right that it is bizarre that someone could

large-scale private sector investment. Only by getting this balance right will we be able to deliver at the scale and ambition needed. Private investment alongside public investment is the only way to deliver the scale of housing needed. It is, therefore, critical that Ireland achieves a stable

will have BusConnects. I am absolutely confident that BusConnects will succeed. The Deputy will come into this House and will be lauding BusConnects when it happens. He is right and I completely agree with him; it is not happening fast enough and it is taking far too long

came out of it. Ultimately, when repeal happened, it put the ball firmly in the court of this House. It is now up to us to do what is right, and it is right to remove the three-day limit. I did not agree with

include a new jaw-dropping suspension bridge at Ballycastle that will have a breathtaking view of Downpatrick Head right down to the continuing restoration, reimagining and rewilding at Westport House and gardens. Projects like these are absolutely vital to attract tourists and more importantly extend the tourist season

Deputy is right to highlight this issue. In every report, in particular in the housing report, the need for more apprentices is very apparent. I would just make the point that we are making good progress in the number of new apprentices and in the number of programmes

draw the Minister's attention to a number of vacant homes in Ringfort housing estate in Rathmolyon, County Meath. The families concerned did everything right. They paid their deposits, spending tens of thousands of euro, but the builder has refused them their homes. They have been put under

Gaeltacht, which supplies money to Pobal. I will go through some of the organisations. We have The House on Cox's Demesne, which does everything from breakfast clubs right through to probation services; the Redeemer Family Resource Centre, which does a huge amount of work; Mid Louth Youth

system at the moment, will the Taoiseach consider that? Will he consider having a full debate in the House without people being put into corners, whether they are right-wing, left-wing or whatever? That needs to happen. The fear of talking about this has to be done

also been one in the marine and aquaculture sector. We are fighting a battle. The Deputy is right to raise the issue. Everyone, on all sides of the House, wants our farms to become what building sites became. We must remember that at one time, building sites were

commend the establishment of the infrastructure committee. It is rightly targeting key areas of society: water infrastructure, energy infrastructure and housing. However, I ask that policy on social infrastructure be considered as part of this. I am referring to schools, Garda stations, crèches, playgrounds, etc. When

there are many residential areas in the inner city. In my constituency there is Glovers Court, which is right beside Aungier Street, as well as York Street and Mercer House. People want to see gardaí in the area. One of the good things about Dublin, unlike capital cities

left without vital services and school places? Does he accept it is a breach of their constitutional right to education? Will the Tánaiste give a commitment to this House today that all children with autism and special needs will be guaranteed a school place this September

mentioned. Ultimately, the issue of expanding the right to vote in presidential elections for Irish citizens resident outside of the State and those in Northern Ireland is a sensitive topic and requires thorough and respectful dialogue across this House. I commend Members this evening on their contributions … straightforward. The work undertaken by the Convention on the Constitution and voting rights and other matters was important, and the detailed 2017 options paper on the matter prepared by the Department of housing, planning, community and local government and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, considered

will invest in our future while securing the jobs, prosperity and stability of today. It will tackle the serious challenges of meeting our housing and investment needs. At the same time, we are preparing for tomorrow. This budget builds up our resilience and will help us to adapt … huge progress in restoring our public finances to health. Our debt ratio is moving in the right direction and has almost halved since I delivered my first budget to the House in 2016. While we should reflect on this progress, of which I believe we can be proud

what they expect. Homelessness is not an inevitability; it is the result of having a weak, broken housing system that fails to meet the basic needs and fundamental human rights of our people. It should not be seen as inevitable. It should not be something that we become … which has told us that there was a 12% increase in demand for front-line services. That block in terms of housing is huge. Progress is slow and without the urgency that is essential, one in three women will continue to experience psychological, physical and-or sexual abuse

sure what I would say to an elderly person who has made an SEAI application to retrofit their house or to get their house wrapped if I was a hypocrite and did not support the financial measures that have been implemented by the Government. Do not criticise … what is driving this. Families across this country are at breaking point. People are doing everything right and are still falling behind as the cost of fuel, groceries, energy and housing continue to rise faster than their incomes. That is where our focus must

Balla and in parts of north Mayo where there are clusters of fewer than 25 houses. The rules for funding exclude them from getting a water supply. That is just not right. This is a weakness in the system and the criteria must be relaxed. Funding must

pressure that ordinary working people and small businesses are under every single day. That is the reality of life for people right across Ireland. Independent Ireland fully supports the Good Friday Agreement and the principle of consent. That principle has helped delivered peace on this island … whether the Government can demonstrate the same commitment to solving the crisis that people are facing right now. At the end of the day, people want delivery. They want houses built, they want hospital waiting lists reduced, they want safer communities and they want a Government that

thank Sinn Féin for bringing this Bill to the House. I refer to the legal opinion the party received. The Minister might have looked at it. It said there was a strong argument for putting forward this Private Members' Bill based on public policy. They see no difficulty … that it did not really like that word. It failed to have a discussion in this House on Israel operating an apartheid regime. We stood by when five human rights organisations were labelled as terrorists and their offices ransacked. We stood idly by when we saw starvation used

will not even come to 1%. For the sake of 43 houses that went early, as they were instructed to, and are now in a situation where they have a deficit because of inflationary costs, the right thing to do is include everyone. The people who entered … that practical experience, should cover those 43 houses and should bring them into the same scheme. Deputies Ward and Ó Broin have been saying it. Everyone here has been saying it and people have been saying it in the right context, that everyone understands. The Minister