Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My legs are gone. There is a lot to cover. I want to thank all Senators for their contributions. I did watch a lot of the contributions yesterday as well. Before I try to address some of the remarks, I want to bring to the attention of the House that I may bring further amendments on Report Stage and I want to detail them briefly. We will be coming back on Report Stage here in the Seanad and the House will have ample time. The amendments relate to the revised governance structure at the OPR - and I might touch on that too because it was the subject of long discussions yesterday; further transitional arrangements including to deal with judicial review; consequential amendments to update references to the current Act; and other legislation including the roads and railway Acts in relation to the application to an coimisiún pleanála for roads and railway orders. We are also reviewing the provision regarding the suspension of the duration of a permission whilst it is subject to judicial review proceedings. That is a very important provision we are bringing forward with the OPC to ensure that it is appropriately worded and covers all scenarios. Similarly, the extension of duration provisions and in particular transitional provisions dealing with permissions granted under the current Act are also being examined as are further technical and drafting amendments to ensure consistency across provisions. This may include amendments to Parts 14 and 15 to deal with the CPO and compensation in the maritime area. The removal of leasing as an option under Part 7, which is the Part V, is another area. There was a remark earlier that we are still dependent on leasing. I have been phasing it out. I will speak on that in a moment. That is further underpinning this because it is bad value for money. I will return to that. These will also include amendments to other legislation including the regulation of approved housing bodies - that relates to the registration criteria for approved housing bodies and the appointment of an interim CEO if needed; the Building Control Act 1990 to ensure necessary underpinning of the building control regulations and other amendments relating to enforcement matters and powers of the building control authority; and the Affordable Housing Act 2021, which we did debate at length in this House, to refine cost rental policy and allow for cost rental tenancies for tenants in situ. That is a provision I brought in last year which I want to underpin. I am using this Bill to put that piece in. There will also be amendments to allow for multi-occupancy cost-rental units and secondary legislation on the assessment and allocations process in respect of cost rental homes. It will also amend the Local Government (Mayor of Limerick and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 relating to pension arrangements for the mayor and regulation-making powers, which I know all Members here will be fully supportive of, and the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 to give effect to a policy decision to apply an increase in rates that may occur to an existing application providing works that have not yet commenced and certain technical amendments. I am putting the Seanad on notice that there will be further amendments on Report Stage.

I want to genuinely thank Members for their contributions. Quite a lot was covered there. First, I want to deal with the issue of this Bill being rushed. That is just not correct in any way. We started this three years ago. I would have had it in the Seanad earlier if there was not strategic calling of votes when Members were not present in the select committee. The Sinn Féin Party, in particular, took a strategic decision to leave one of its members sitting outside of the room so that every time the vote was called. the full eight minute bell had to be rung because the full complement had to be there before the votes were taken. We lost days and days because of the actions of Deputy Ó Broin and his colleagues in Sinn Féin. When Senator Gavan, for whom I have a lot of regard - he happens to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan like myself - comes in and complains that we are not providing enough time here, I think he should go back and talk to his colleagues about the behaviour of his party.