Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I know Senator Murnane O'Connor agrees with what we have and I am so sorry that she cannot support it personally because her party does not support it.

I thank Senator Boyhan for his considered contribution to the debate. I thank him for speaking to its actual content and for his appeal to allow it to continue to the next Stage. No Bill is perfect and the process we would like to propose for this legislation is one of improvement. I hope the House will hear his arguments and respond accordingly.

The points made by Senators Noone and Coffey are well taken and I appreciate the constitutional challenges that actions such as that outlined would create. Nevertheless, we are in a revolving and evolving situation. As I said previously, I argue that it is now time to proceed with a more stringent immediate approach and see what the courts say if that is how it goes. The Attorney General's advice has changed in the past and can change. We can and must challenge it. Senator Ó Clochartaigh suggested that the Council of State could also play a role before the Bill is passed into law. Let us go and do that.

With regard to the tenancy aspects of the Bill, I again appreciate the time that Government Senators took to consider the detail. However, the aim of this amendment is to ensure that, at the same time as the Minister works to provide new homes, we do not facilitate the eviction of families from their existing homes. The Vancouver example is a good one. However, current size limits in existing Irish legislation means that it would not be effective in providing homes to Irish families.

Senator Humphreys has concerns on the timescale of the implementation. I hear those, and I would be willing to work with and accept amendments on those matters. The size limitations on vacant sites is currently, to my mind, of greater importance. I agree strongly with the Senator and the Labour Party that leakage in the housing sector has to be stopped if we are to ensure that supply is being added rather than being swapped out.

I would like to take time to thank my Civil Engagement group colleagues who have been very supportive of me and have spoken very practically of the lived and living consequences of the current situation. Senators Kelleher and Black spoke about the good that can happen when unused sites are brought back to life. Senator Higgins has shown our commitment to the issue and our willingness to work with any and all on advancing some of the agreed points in the Bill.

I know the Minister has done his best to stimulate supply. I know that the repair and lease scheme and the buy and repair scheme are really good. In addition to those schemes, what we have in the Bill will actually move things faster, particularly now in this time of crisis. The idea behind putting this Bill together was to get at the low-hanging fruit and the infrastructure that is already there: the vacant housing and the derelict sites. Instead of just rebuilding Ireland, we could use this stock and rehouse Ireland as soon as we can. I do not think there is time to waste. I ask the Minister to consider what my colleagues and I have said and to try to find a solution on how to move forward with this Bill.