Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group in the Seanad, I send our best wishes to all those in the Defence Forces who are involved in the evacuation of Irish citizens from Sudan.Our hearts and minds are with the people in Sudan. We hope for an early resolution to the unrest and the troubles there and most importantly we hope for a safe return of our Irish citizens. We commend the Defence Forces who are working with other European forces, led by the French, in this exercise. They will travel to Djibouti and Sudan and we wish them a safe journey and a safe return. It reminds us all of the importance of our EU membership and of being partners in security agreements. It is important that all those who need to be rescued are rescued. We thank those who will do the rescuing.

It has been reported that the Cabinet today considered a report by barrister Marie O'Shea on the review of the 2018 abortion legislation. We call for that abortion legislation review to be published as soon as possible and to be referred to the Joint Committee on Health in order that the findings of the report can be given appropriate and due consideration and any recommendations can be brought forward by the Joint Committee on Health.

We hope that the Government will have given approval at the Cabinet meeting this morning for further measures under Housing for All to increase the affordability and supply of housing. Housing for All is already the most ambitious and comprehensive housing plan in the history of the State. Some €20 billion has been assigned to it to massively increase the delivery of social and affordable homes. The enhancements to the existing programmes under Housing for All we hope will have been approved today, will further fund the delivery of affordable homes. The fastest and most sustainable way of increasing our housing supply is to reuse existing vacant and derelict properties. I hope the Cabinet will this morning have approved an increase in the grant that has been already welcomed by people who want to turn vacant and derelict properties into their homes. The increase will help to cover the increase in construction costs. We all know construction inflation is running at in excess of 30% over the past two years. The waving of levies and costs that are in the control of the Government and the State is to be welcomed and supported, especially in order to trigger the construction of new homes. A subvention to cover those costs and make those homes affordable and affordable cost-rental homes available, especially in urban areas, is welcome.