Dáil debates

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

3:00 pm

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I move:



Wednesday's business shall be: - Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Motion re Ninth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection (without debate and any division claimed to be taken immediately)

- Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to adjourn after 3 hours and 24 minutes)

Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Bord Bia, selected by Sinn Féin.
Thursday's business shall be:
- Statements on Road Safety (to conclude within 2 hours and 25 minutes)

- Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 (Second Stage, resumed) (to conclude within 1 hour and 52 minutes, with any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage on Wednesday, 11th February 2026)

Thursday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Cost of Living Crisis, selected by Independent and Parties Technical Group.
Proposed Arrangements for this week’s business:
In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that:
1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:
(a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business;

(b) private members’ business shall be taken following the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026;

(c) Parliamentary Questions to a Minister other than the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) shall not be taken; and

(d) topical issues shall be taken on the conclusion of private members’ business
2. the proceedings on the Motion re Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately;

3. the proceedings on the Motion re Ninth Report of the Standing Committee of Selection shall be taken without debate and any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and

4. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall be interrupted and stand adjourned after 3 hours and 24 minutes, or where no further member is offering, and the following arrangements shall apply:
(a) the first speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) members may share time.
Gov SF Lab Gov SF
Mins 20 20 20 12 4
SD Gov SF IPTG Gov
Mins 20 12 4 20 12
SF ITG Gov SF OM
Mins 4 20 12 4 20
In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that:
1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders:
(a) no motion for a Committee report pursuant to Standing Order 111 or private member's Bill pursuant to Standing Order 169 shall be taken;

(b) private members' business pursuant to Standing Order 168(1) shall be taken for 2 hours on the conclusion of proceedings of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026; and

(c) topical issues shall be taken on the conclusion of private members' business, and the Dáil shall adjourn on the conclusion of topical issues;
2. the Statements on Road Safety shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:
(a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and

(c) members may share time; and
Gov SF Lab Gov SF
Mins 25 15 10 10 3
SD Gov SF IPTG Gov
Mins 10 10 3 9 10
SF ITG Gov SF OM
Mins 3 9 10 3 5
3. the resumed proceedings on the Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 1 hour and 52 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:
(a) the second speaking round shall be in accordance with those contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down);

(b) on the conclusion of the second speaking round, or where speeches conclude before the 1 hour and 42 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, whereupon proceedings shall be brought to a conclusion;

(c) any division claimed on the Second Stage proceedings shall be taken immediately prior to Committee Stage on Wednesday, 11th February, 2026; and

(d) members may share time.
Gov SF Lab Gov SF
Mins 10 10 10 6 2
SD Gov SF IPTG Gov
Mins 10 6 2 10 6
SF ITG Gov SF OM
Mins 2 10 6 2 10

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Are the arrangements agreed to? No.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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They are not agreed. Why does the Taoiseach continue to bury his head in the sand? Farmers are in an ongoing sit-down protest in the offices of Bord Bia. How on earth can the Taoiseach stand over a Bord Bia chairperson remaining in place when every single farming organisation, representing the primary producers of food in this country, says he has to go? They have no confidence in him because he brought in Brazilian beef with none of the standards he insists the farmers must meet to sell their beef around the world. When will the Taoiseach wake up and remove the chairperson of Bord Bia?

Photo of Duncan SmithDuncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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Given the past week and the forecast for the next few days, we need a debate on flooding and the State's response to it as soon as possible, preferably today but no later than next week.

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I want to move an amendment to the Order of Business under Standing Order 35(3).

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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The amendment under Standing Order 35(3) will be done next.

Photo of Michael CollinsMichael Collins (Cork South-West, Independent Ireland Party)
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Like Deputy Smith, I believe we need a debate on flooding and the flood preventative works that should have been done in many towns and villages that are flooded, and certainly with regard to the rivers. I heard on the radio the other day with regard to Enniscorthy that the river has not been cleaned. We need to have a debate on this.

Photo of Micheál MartinMicheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was very surprised it was not raised on Leaders' Questions.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Last Friday we had the monthly homeless figures. The numbers of those in emergency accommodation are still at absolutely shocking levels. I have been asking for a commitment to a debate to deal with homelessness figures and those in emergency accommodation. The Government is bringing in a residential tenancies Bill that will make rental accommodation even more unaffordable. This will drive more homelessness. We have been faced with a deadline for amendments to this very complex legislation of tomorrow at 11 a.m., before Second Stage of the Bill has even concluded. It is not acceptable to ram the legislation through in this way.

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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I am proposing an amendment to have a debate on the flooding issues. Over the past eight days-----

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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No, Deputy-----

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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-----we have seen nothing but deflection from the Government, pointing fingers at the weathermen and-----

3:10 pm

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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-----if you are stating an amendment-----

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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-----pointing fingers at the local authorities.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy Whitmore, state your amendment, please.

Photo of Jennifer WhitmoreJennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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The Government is not accepting responsibility for decades of inaction when it comes to flood adaptation and management.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Deputy Whitmore, you are supposed to state the amendment, for the future. Thank you. The Chief Whip to respond.

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I have noted the requests for a debate on flooding and on housing. There will be five hours of housing debate on Second Stage of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2026 this week: 204 minutes today and a further 102 minutes tomorrow. It is a two-day sitting. This legislation is really important. We will facilitate discussion on Thursday around further debates. At the moment I am not in position to accept an amendment under Standing Order 35(3). The Order of Business stands, a Cheann Comhairle.

Photo of Verona MurphyVerona Murphy (Wexford, Independent)
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Thank you. Is it agreed that the proposed arrangements for the week's business be agreed to and that the proposed amendment be negatived?

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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Not agreed.

Question put: "That the amendment to the Order of Business is hereby negatived and the proposed arrangements for the week's business are hereby agreed to."

The Dáil divided: Tá, 79; Níl, 63; Staon, 0.


Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Duncan Smith.

William Aird, Catherine Ardagh, Grace Boland, Tom Brabazon, Brian Brennan, Shay Brennan, Colm Brophy, James Browne, Colm Burke, Mary Butler, Paula Butterly, Jerry Buttimer, Malcolm Byrne, Michael Cahill, Catherine Callaghan, Dara Calleary, Seán Canney, Micheál Carrigy, Jack Chambers, Peter Cleere, Niall Collins, John Connolly, Joe Cooney, Cathal Crowe, John Cummins, Emer Currie, Martin Daly, Aisling Dempsey, Cormac Devlin, Alan Dillon, Albert Dolan, Timmy Dooley, Norma Foley, Pat Gallagher, James Geoghegan, Noel Grealish, Simon Harris, Danny Healy-Rae, Michael Healy-Rae, Barry Heneghan, Martin Heydon, Emer Higgins, Keira Keogh, John Lahart, James Lawless, Michael Lowry, Micheál Martin, David Maxwell, Paul McAuliffe, Noel McCarthy, Tony McCormack, Séamus McGrath, Erin McGreehan, John McGuinness, Kevin Moran, Aindrias Moynihan, Michael Moynihan, Shane Moynihan, Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, Michael Murphy, Hildegarde Naughton, Darragh O'Brien, Jim O'Callaghan, Maeve O'Connell, James O'Connor, Ryan O'Meara, John Paul O'Shea, Christopher O'Sullivan, Pádraig O'Sullivan, Naoise Ó Cearúil, Seán Ó Fearghaíl, Naoise Ó Muirí, Neale Richmond, Peter Roche, Eamon Scanlon, Brendan Smith, Edward Timmins, Gillian Toole, Robert Troy.

Níl

Ciarán Ahern, Ivana Bacik, Cathy Bennett, Richard Boyd Barrett, John Brady, Pat Buckley, Joanna Byrne, Holly Cairns, Sorca Clarke, Michael Collins, Rose Conway-Walsh, Réada Cronin, Seán Crowe, Jen Cummins, Pa Daly, Máire Devine, Pearse Doherty, Paul Donnelly, Aidan Farrelly, Sinéad Gibney, Paul Gogarty, Ann Graves, Johnny Guirke, Eoin Hayes, Séamus Healy, Rory Hearne, Alan Kelly, Martin Kenny, Claire Kerrane, Paul Lawless, George Lawlor, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, Mary Lou McDonald, Donna McGettigan, Conor McGuinness, Denise Mitchell, Johnny Mythen, Gerald Nash, Natasha Newsome Drennan, Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh, Carol Nolan, Cian O'Callaghan, Richard O'Donoghue, Robert O'Donoghue, Louis O'Hara, Louise O'Reilly, Darren O'Rourke, Eoin Ó Broin, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, Ruairí Ó Murchú, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin, Liam Quaide, Maurice Quinlivan, Pádraig Rice, Conor Sheehan, Marie Sherlock, Duncan Smith, Brian Stanley, Peadar Tóibín, Mark Wall, Mark Ward, Jennifer Whitmore.

Question declared carried.