Kathryn Reilly (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 14:

In page 40, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following:

"(c) the social and environmental benefits.".

This amendment involves an issue I raised on Second Stage. It is about the type of stimulus we believe there should be. One of the problems with the Bill, apart from NewERA issues, is the narrow focus under which ISIF will be able to act. This amendment seeks to add some much-needed balance whereby the fund would consider the environmental and social outcomes of their investments. That issue was raised on Second Stage by many speakers. Social housing would be more likely to be built if this amendment was included in the Bill. A purely economic driven focus could be too narrow and might miss the point of the wider economic benefits of such investment. Its addition to the legislation would be of huge benefit.