Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I refer to the mental capacity Bill and the commitment made by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government last month to introduce legislation to freeze rents. Monday was the eighth anniversary of the State's signing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In the programme for Government there was a commitment to introduce a mental capacity Bill that would incorporate the convention into domestic law. Some four years later that has not happened. There is a whole range of other legislative matters which have been promised but have not come to the floor of the Dáil.

In the meantime, 156 states have ratified the convention. This State is one of only three in the European Union which has failed to do so and we still rely on the Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871. There are ongoing difficulties faced by citizens with intellectual disabilities in some care homes. When will the Taoiseach repeal the disgraceful Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871 and introduce a mental capacity Bill?

As I said, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government last month promised to introduce legislation to freeze rents in the private rental sector for the next two years and to tackle excessive rent increases by landlords by the end of this year. When can we expect this legislation to be published? It is a matter of major concern. The Taoiseach will know that 500,000 households in rented accommodation are now approaching the levels of rent they paid at the height of the property boom. Rental costs in Dublin have risen by almost 10%.

The Minister also expressed concerns about the impact of the programme of reform of local government by the former Minister, Mr. Phil Hogan, and said he supported the comprehensive review of the changes Mr. Hogan had forced through. Does the Government intend to hold a comprehensive review of local government? When does it intend to do so?

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