Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)

I wish, first, to be associated with the remarks about Martin Groves and to wish him all the very best on his retirement. From the first day that I was elected to the House, he was always a breath of fresh air and very supportive of new Members especially, offering them guidance. I wish him well and I hope we will have the opportunity to have him in some day to wish him all the best.

I wish also to be associated with the votes of sympathy to the late pontiff, Pope Francis. I actually went to the concert in Croke Park when he visited in 2018, and I think he was a man whose legacy will stay with us for quite a while.

The main issue I wish to raise is the tenant in situ scheme and the number of people who are now being refused and cannot get into the scheme. We are still in the month of April and there are people being refused because organisers are saying there is no money left. If we do not have the tenant in situ scheme, we have to have some sort of a scheme because there are too many families who are being threatened with eviction because the council is saying it does not have the money to buy the home. I would like the Minister, Deputy Browne, to come to the House to have a debate on the tenant in situ scheme and how we can deal with the situation because we already have people who are homeless and we do not want to add to that list. We should have statements in the House and a debate with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the tenant in situ scheme and how we can resolve this issue into the future.