Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

The practice of guillotining critical debates is back with a vengeance, despite the Taoiseach's party in opposition often joining us in railing against the practice of guillotines. We have seen it on two Bills of critical importance, one of which is the Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, which includes the shocking amendment by the Government at the last minute to exempt vulture funds from a tiny and inadequate stamp duty being imposed on them, thus incentivising them to buy up houses and price out first-time buyers. Similarly we have a guillotine imposed on the Affordable Housing Bill, where this Government has notions of affordability that stretch up to €450,000, which prices are completely unaffordable for ordinary working people. We tried to amend those proposals to make affordable mean affordable and we have had a guillotine once again slapped down so that the Government can short-circuit debate and prevent proper discussion on these matters.

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