Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Cuirim fáilte roimhe chuig an diaspóireacht anocht.

I thank and commend Senator Warfield on the legislation before us for discussion tonight. In doing so, I also want to thank Members who have contributed thus far to this important debate. I also take the opportunity, because it is glaringly obvious in the Chamber tonight, to comment on the level of participation on this issue because, as everyone has acknowledged, regardless of where one falls on the Bill, the amendment or whatever, we have all acknowledged that this is an issue of crisis levels.It is a Statewide emergency being faced by our people. Sometimes, on the Order of Business, one will get a queue out the door of Members to lament the housing crisis and to talk about homelessness. However, when we have legislation in front of us which seeks to give expression to the legal standards and requirements in place for rental properties, where are they? I am disappointed by this. I have no doubt those outside this Chamber who have an expectation will be watching this debate. Some parties and groups are not represented here this evening which is disappointing. However, that is the way it is.

We heard from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on the amendment. We will be opposing it because we believe in parliamentary procedure. As Senator Warfield outlined earlier, it is a case of once bitten, twice shy. For example, Senators Warfield and Ruane brought forward legislation to reduce the voting age to 16 which we considered reasonable. However, other parties opposed it and sought to delay it despite having policies in favour of it in some instances. When it came back after six months without any engagement, we were told it was opposed because there would be a referendum which never occurred.

Submitting this legislation on Second Stage is to give the Government and our colleagues in the Seanad notice. It is to ensure all engagement, which is the norm with parliamentary procedure and legislative protocol, can take place. It is to ensure Members can come back on Committee and other Stages to amend, to tweak, to endorse, to oppose or to support the legislation. I do not understand why, on the one hand, one can endorse the Bill’s sentiment, tell everyone that one agrees that rental adverts need to be standardised and made appropriate in tune with the legal requirements but then, on the other, claim it must be done in six months or somewhere down the line.

When I first came to Dublin to carry out my parliamentary work and obligations, I, along with other Members, had to go on some of these websites to get accommodation. Some of them do not even dress it up in terms of false advertising. Some of them would scare one in terms of what is offered to people who are coming to work, live or study in Dublin or find themselves here in more unfortunate circumstances.

The Seanad has an opportunity to do something about it. I do not know if it is a party political decision but during the last Sinn Féin Private Members’ business I made the point that a pattern is emerging. Despite the collaborative approach the Seanad takes to issues which unite us, when Sinn Féin brings legislation to the House, even if it chimes with individual or party policies, people melt like snow off a ditch and do not want to know about it. The Minister of State will appreciate and understand why we are extremely reluctant. Given the importance of this issue, given what the Bill seeks to do and given the work Senator Warfield and his parliamentary assistant, Conor Stitt, have done on this Bill, we will not be seeking to long-finger it. We will be seeking to put it to the people because something must be done in this area. We will be all too willing to redden the faces of those who come in every day to lament the housing crisis but when they have the opportunity to support legislation on it, they are nowhere to be found.