Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is the first opportunity I have had to welcome the Minister, Deputy Madigan, to the House. I congratulated her privately but I wish to repeat that here.

I will oppose all amendments and the Bill. I do so for one reason only, that is, to delay the Bill's implementation for three months. There are up to 40 houseboats in Grand Canal Dock. When this Bill is passed, it will allow up to 20 families to be removed from Grand Canal Dock. Some of those residents have been ten years on the housing list. They are unlikely to be housed anywhere in the near future. Three months at least would give us a window of time to resolve those issues.

This only come to my attention quite late. There was a meeting on Thursday last with Waterways Ireland in this regard. There will be 20 full-time licences given out to the residents. As I stated, there are up to 40 houseboats on Grand Canal Dock. There will be up to 20 other licences of 90 days' duration. If the residents on these 90 day licences exceed the 90 days, however, they will not only be expected to remove their houseboats from the Grand Canal but will lose any opportunity to get a permanent licence.

I will not vote for residents to become homeless. This is a living, thriving community in Grand Canal Dock. There have been several children born to it. I believe we need a window of time to resolve this issue. While he Minister is correct that there should be standards relating to the upkeep of boats and how they are presented, I cannot in good faith vote for any amendments that would allow this Bill pass until the licensing arrangements have been resolved in Grand Canal Dock so that we do not victimise or evict families from the Grand Canal Dock and make them homeless as a result. These houseboats are their homes. They are not holiday lets. They are not for recreation. They are there as a living community. They wish to remain. We must resolve these issues. There may not be 20. It may be a smaller number. We can resolve that in the three-month period. That is why I will be opposing Report and Final Stages of the Bill.