Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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I call Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh to announce the Order of Business for the week and to make the proposals regarding the arrangements for the taking of that business.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Today's business shall be No. 9, motion re Committee on the Future of Healthcare, without debate; No. 14, Courts Bill 2016 - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; and No. 15, Road Traffic Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages. Private Members’ business shall be No. 81, motion re flooding introduced by Fianna Fáil.

Wednesday’s Government business shall be No. 10, motion re Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2016, back from committee; No. 16, Statute Law Revision Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 17, pre-European Council statements; No. 4, Appropriation Bill 2016 - All Stages, to conclude within 1 hour 40 minutes; No. 14, Courts Bill 2016 - Report and Final Stages, resumed if not previously concluded; No. 15, Road Traffic Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Report and Final Stages, resumed if not previously concluded; and No. 18, Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016 -Second Stage, resumed. Private Members’ business shall be No. 28, Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2016, introduced by the Labour Party.

Thursday’s Government business shall be No. 15, Road Traffic Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Report and Final Stages, resumed if not previously concluded; No. 18a, Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Order for Report, Report and Final Stages; No. 10a, motion re presentation and circulation of 2017 Revised Estimates, without debate; No. 10b, motion re changes to Standing Orders, without debate. No. 30, Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) (Amendment) Bill 2016 - Second Stage will be debated in the evening slot.

Friday's business shall be No. 19, statements on symphysiotomy, to conclude at 12 noon if not previously concluded; No. 18a, Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 [Seanad] - Report and Final Stages resumed; and No. 18, Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016 - Second Stage, resumed.

I refer Members to the report of the Business Committee dated 8 December 2016. In relation to today's business, there are two proposals. It is proposed that:

(1) The motion re Committee on the Future of Healthcare shall be taken without debate; and

(2) In the event that a division is under way at 8 p.m., Private Members’ business shall commence immediately on the conclusion of the division and proceedings on the motion shall be brought to a conclusion, if not previously concluded, after a period of two hours. The Dáil shall adjourn immediately on the conclusion of Private Members’ business.

In relation to tomorrow's business, there are seven proposals. It is proposed that:

(1) The Dáil shall sit at 11.00 a.m.;

(2) With regard to the motion re the horse and greyhound statutory instrument, the speeches of a Minister or Minister or State and the main spokespersons for parties or groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall be five minutes each, to conclude within 40 minutes, and all Members may share time;

(3) In the event that a division is under way at 12 noon, Leaders' Questions shall commence immediately on the conclusion of the division;

(4) Pre-European Council statements shall commence immediately after Taoiseach's Questions - and be followed by questions to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs - and shall be brought to a conclusion after 85 minutes. The speeches of a Minister or Minister or State and the main spokespersons for parties or groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall be ten minutes each, with a five-minute response from the Minister or Minister of State, and all Members may share time;

(5) The suspension of sitting under Standing Order 25 shall take place after Topical Issues for 30 minutes;

(6) The proceedings on Second Stage of the Appropriation Bill 2016 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 85 minutes. The speeches of a Minister or Minister or State and the main spokespersons for parties or groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall be ten minutes each, with a five-minute response from the Minister or Minister of State, and all Members may share time. Proceedings on Committee and Remaining Stages shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 15 minutes by one question, which shall, in regard to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; and

(7) Private Members' business shall take place on the conclusion of the sos and the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2016 shall be brought to a conclusion after two hours.

In relation to Thursday's business, there are four proposals. It is proposed that:

(1) The Dáil shall sit at 10 a.m. and in the event that a division is under way at 12 noon, Leaders' Questions shall commence immediately on the conclusion of the division

(2) The motions re the presentation and circulation of Revised Estimates and changes to Standing Orders shall be taken without debate;

(3) Question Time shall commence not later than 3.50 p.m. or, in the event that a division is under way, at 3.50 p.m., and questions to the Minister for Justice and Equality shall commence immediately on the conclusion of the division; and

(4) The Dáil shall sit later than 7.48 p.m. and shall adjourn on the conclusion of proceedings on the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) (Amendment) Bill 2016.

With regard to Friday's business, there are three proposals. It is proposed that:

(1) The Dáil shall sit on Friday at 10 a.m. The business to be transacted shall be statements on symphysiotomy; the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016, Report and Final Stages, resumed; and the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, Second Stage, resumed. The Dáil shall adjourn not later than 4 p.m.;

(2) On the opening round of the statements on symphysiotomy, the speeches of a Minister or Minister or State and the main spokespersons for parties or groups, or a Member nominated in their stead, shall be ten minutes each, with a second round of ten minutes in total for Members of the Government, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin, to be divided proportionally on a 40-40-20 basis, respectively. There shall be five minutes for all other Members on the subsequent rounds, with a five-minute response from the Minister or Minister of State, and all Members may share time. The statements shall conclude after two hours; and

(3) The Dáil on its rising shall adjourn until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 17 January 2017.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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There are four proposals to put to the House today. Is the proposal for dealing with Tuesday's business agreed to? Agreed.

Is the proposal for dealing with Wednesday's business, as outlined by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, agreed to?

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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May I just ask about the business for the week?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Yes.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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We have had the announcement of the rent policy discussed by the Cabinet today. I am sure the Government Deputies present would not disagree that there needs to be a full debate on these measures in the Chamber.

It is not clear to me whether it is proposed to make some extra room for a debate on these proposals or the Government intends to tack the proposals on to another Bill, for example, the Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 [Seanad]. Can it be clarified? There are clearly important questions that need to be debated and teased out here. Will this apply retrospectively for those who have had rent increases in the past two months? Will there be a sunset clause to prevent increases in the immediate future?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We cannot go into the detail of the Bill.

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Anti-Austerity Alliance)
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What is the proposal?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We will try to ascertain that but we cannot go into the detail of the Bill. Can the Government Whip tell us what is proposed and how it will be dealt with?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016 [Seanad] is in Committee all day today, coming to this House on Thursday for approximately six hours debate at Report Stage, and Report and Final Stages for four hours on Friday. I assume, as agreed at the Business Committee, that there will be ample time to discuss today's very exciting announcements.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Sorry, I did not hear the Minister of State. Are there amendments from today's announcement and will they be amendments to the planning Bill? Is that what the Minister of State is telling us?

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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At Report Stage, yes.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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When will we see them?

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have to see them before-----

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Today, I suppose.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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-----Thursday.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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That is not good enough.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is not the worst time. In fairness, it is the first time that this has happened.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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We cannot deal with an important issue like that.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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We could not even work out the maths earlier.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Anyway, let us go back. Is the proposal for dealing with Wednesday's business agreed to?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Agreed.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Agreed. Is proposal No. 3 for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to? Agreed.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Just-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I want to speak on Thursday's business.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have agreed it.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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No, Sir. I said, "No."

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy Howlin said, "No." Sorry, go ahead.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Howlin did not say, "No."

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I know we are in a rush but we are not in that much.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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You did not say, "No."

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The bottom line is we need to know. Maybe Deputy Micheál Martin has sight of the proposals. I do not know.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Michael McGrath has had the sight of nothing and we signed up to nothing.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Okay, that is fine.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is misleading.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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If the Deputies are going to have a conversation-----

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is not.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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-----have it outside. Can we just deal with the business before us?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I recall Deputy Howlin remonstrated with me about the failure of the Business Committee's decisions.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Please, Deputy Martin.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am simply seeking clarity. I do not know how well briefed Deputy Micheál Martin is but I have not been briefed at all in relation to an announcement made publicly at 1.15 p.m., when Leaders' Questions were at 2 o'clock, on what we regard as one of the most fundamental issues facing us, which is housing, in particular, the rental sector. We are now told it will be dealt with by way of amendment to a Bill that has already past Second Stage, we have not seen the amendments and we do not understand the substance. That is just not acceptable. Before we agree to Thursday's business which includes voting on a housing Bill in the name of the Labour Party, can we have some explanation of what exactly is proposed in relation to the Government's strategy to deal with rents?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The committee is underway this evening for a considerable period.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Sorry, I cannot-----

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Members cannot hear the Taoiseach.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Committee Stage is underway this evening. There are 140 amendments down to that, as I understand it. Obviously, any other amendments will be tabled at Report Stage and the Members will see those as quickly as possible, where that is necessary.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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The complexities of what was put on offer today-----

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is important-----

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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-----will mean a bigger Bill presented by way of amendment than the current Bill before the House and we have not sight of it.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Minister has had extensive engagement with all the parties about this strategy.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Not true.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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We indicated on many occasions that it would be coming in towards the end of the year and, obviously, needs the support of Members of the House in order to be legislated. It is important that it move through.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Is the proposal for dealing with Thursday's business agreed to? Agreed. Finally, is the proposal for dealing with the Friday sitting and business to be taken then agreed to? Agreed.