Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo some of the sentiments which were just expressed by Senator Mark Daly on the housing crisis and the Government's response to it. It is relevant to the Order of Business to note that we can anticipate that legislation in this regard will come to the House from the other House in whatever shape or form in the coming few days. The problem with that is that a national debate is already taking place as to whether this strategy is enough or too much or whether it will have a beneficial effect on the rental market in the short, medium or long term. That debate is starting.We now read in the newspapers that it is even happening within Government, let alone among the parties in this House.

I regard it as unsatisfactory that this House, at the 11th hour and 59th minute, would be confronted with a statutory proposal of such importance without having had an opportunity to debate it carefully. We did debate it in principal in terms of some of the amendments that were put before us when the Bill was going through this House, but now we have what the Government states to be its strategy in the matter. If both Houses of Parliament are not in a position to consider carefully and give enough time to teasing out the implications of what it is doing and measures are pushed through without adequate time for consideration, it makes a rubber stamp not merely of this House but of the entire Oireachtas.

I appreciate that the Government has a minority in both Houses of the Oireachtas and, therefore, there has to be consensus before anything can happen. However, the real issue is why have we found ourselves, with hours to go before the end of this session, being forced to confront issues that we have not teased out. Whatever about the Ministers involved, we have not had the expert advice. We have not seen the justification for a 2% or 4% cap, or for the designation of particular zones, etc. Simply to say that it can be discussed some time next week when it will be far too late for a reasoned discussion to take place is most unsatisfactory.

While I say that, I appreciate that there is a crisis. We do not have the leisure of doing nothing for months while we consider the matter but it is a shame that we are being railroaded into a decision without having had the opportunity to consider whether we are doing the right or wrong thing by tenants, landlords and the market in general. We are not being given a fair opportunity to consider the issues.

I ask that the Leader would bear that in mind in terms of all of the arrangements for business proposals in the House over the next few days. We should not be in this position. We should not have been corralled into a situation where we are going to be confronted with a "Yes" or "No" binary decision next week. If this House makes any amendment to the Dáil amendments, nothing will happen until the new year, which is most unsatisfactory.