Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will not speak for long on Second Stage. I will indicate some of the issues that we may raise on Committee and Report Stages. First, concerns have been raised about the date of the election, which is happening at the same time as the local and European elections. That might mean that the Limerick mayor debate is not given the necessary attention that it should get. One consideration could be putting it back, even to September, so they can properly consider the candidates for mayor. The introduction of directly elected mayors will hopefully be transformative for local government because we will see local government become stronger, given it will have a very strong figurehead.

One of the big issues for local government in Ireland is the lack of funding. We are so dependent on central government for absolutely everything. Local government and local government managers have to go with the begging bowl to the various Departments to get funded. It is key in legislation like this that, in consultation with Limerick City Council, local mayors have the ability to borrow funds elsewhere, whether on the bond market or elsewhere, and can decide that without having to go through central government. We talk about the powers that are extended to them. We have a planning Bill coming through and there is no reform of the compulsory purchase order system in the planning Bill. This could be an opportunity to have recommendations for things being compulsorily purchased be added in as a built heritage function to mayors and to have some reform of compulsory purchase orders in the Bill.

I want to address some other issues. Some miscellaneous provisions were inserted in the Dáil, particularly relating to the fresh start principle when it comes to availing of home loans. I ask that the Minister of State, who will table Committee Stage amendments, consider putting in miscellaneous provisions to enable people to transfer local authority applications for housing. That is particularly important in cities. For example, somebody in receipt of housing assistance payment may be living in the South Dublin County Council area but be on Dublin City Council's waiting list. There are also situations where people might be living in social housing but want to relocate to a rural area because of the opportunities afforded by the introduction of rural broadband, cheaper house prices and the lower cost of living.

What is key and what I often come across is people who are living privately and have a stake in the family home, but are suffering from domestic violence and maybe want to relocate county to get away from their abuser, or people who are living in local authority housing who want to be able to still live in local authority housing but, again, want to move county to get away from their abuser. That lack of ability to move between local authority areas often comes up. Some provisions have been included in the miscellaneous provisions in this Bill. I ask that, on Committee Stage, the Minister of State would consider putting in miscellaneous provisions something along the lines of the fresh start principle but for local authority housing and being able to transfer between local authorities.