Dáil debates

Thursday, 26 March 2020

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages

 

10:20 pm

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

On amendment No. 38, I understand where Deputy Ó Broin is going with this and I would like to hear the remarks of the Minister of State. I refer to one of the things Deputy Ó Broin calls for within 30 days post the crisis. That is one of the reasons why in the previous Fianna Fáil amendment that we wanted the Oireachtas to be recalled after 90 days in order that one could have a formal review of it in the Dáil. Does the same logic apply for a report to be done within 30 days by the Members of the Oireachtas and others? If things happen that we do not expect to happen, will that have an impact on the publication of a report? Where will that report go, should the Dáil and Seanad not be recalled because of the amendment that was lost earlier?

When Deputy Ó Broin comes back in near the end, I would like to understand the mechanism proposed. That is one of the reasons I and others believe we need a formal review of how this legislation will work. It was for the purpose of having a formal recall of the Dáil and Seanad. I understand and accept the good intentions of the Sinn Féin proposal. We certainly will need to look at future debt that may be built up and provisions for dealing with that, and how measures we have put forward are being applied by lenders, landlords and others. I would have thought the best place to do that would have been here in the Chamber by people elected by the public and not just representatives and groups.

I am a little at a loss to understand why the Sinn Féin amendment No. 38 would work, when a formal recall of the Dáil after 90 days - and we are all elected by the people - would not. I ask Deputy Ó Broin to enlighten me. I am genuine and not being in any way disrespectful towards the thrust of what he is seeking. There will be an issue regarding how people may fall into debt or how landlords, mortgage lenders and others may not apply what we are seeking.

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