Séamus Healy (Tipperary, Workers and Unemployed Action Group) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No 5:

In page 4, between lines 37 and 38, to insert the following:“2. Dáil Éireann formally declares that a housing emergency exists in the State and while this emergency continues the right of any person to remain in the dwelling in which the person currently resides will take precedence over any property right of any other person—

(a) accordingly no court or other authority shall order the removal of the current occupant of a dwelling, or by its decisions enable such removal notwithstanding the provisions of any Act currently in force including the provisions of the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2013,

(b) the housing emergency declared in this section can only be terminated by a vote of Dáil Éireann, and the Government including any Minister of the Government are precluded from annulling the housing emergency without approval in such a vote,

(c) in view of the Housing Emergency declared here, the power of any Minister of Government to raise the market value threshold of €75,000 for single or multiple dwellings for consideration of possession of dwellings cases by the Circuit Court by activating or commencing sections of existing Acts without approval by a vote of Dáil Éireann, is cancelled.”.

I wish to press this amendment. I understand that the first three sections are to be deleted, but this amendment is an addendum, or addition, and it is not at all related to the Hogan judgment, which has no bearing on this amendment by way of addendum. It is a significant amendment and in my view it is important. It is the cornerstone of any proper procedure to address the housing emergency we have in the State now.