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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 21 Sep 2017

Vol. 959 No. 2

Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members]

Thairg an Teachta Richard Boyd Barrett an rún seo a leanas ar an 20 Meán Fómhair 2017: "Go léifear an Bille an Dara hUair anois."
The following motion was moved by Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett on 20 September 2017: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:
Dáil Éireann declines to give the Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Right to Housing) Bill 2017 a second reading and instead, taking account of previous Government decisions to have the broader recommendations in the Eighth Report of the Convention on the Constitution (i.e. that the State shall progressively realise economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights subject to maximum available resources and that this duty shall be cognisable by the Courts, and that specific additional rights should also be inserted into the Constitution of Ireland, including housing rights, social security rights, essential health care, rights of people with disabilities, linguistic and cultural rights) considered by an Oireachtas Committee, have the right-to-housing issue considered by the Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach, to review the implications arising in terms of balance of rights, good governance (including the separation of powers) and resource prioritisation."
- (Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government)

I want to deal with amendment No. 1 as I was in the Chair at the time. For the sake of clarity and before proceeding with the division, I must ask the Chief Whip how stands the amendment? Is it being pressed?

Tarraingíodh siar an leasú faoi chead.
Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.
Cuireadh an cheist: "Go léifear an Bille an Dara hUair."
Question put: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
The Dáil divided: Tá, 37; Níl, 73; Staon, 0.

  • Adams, Gerry.
  • Barry, Mick.
  • Boyd Barrett, Richard.
  • Brady, John.
  • Broughan, Thomas P.
  • Buckley, Pat.
  • Collins, Joan.
  • Collins, Michael.
  • Coppinger, Ruth.
  • Crowe, Seán.
  • Cullinane, David.
  • Daly, Clare.
  • Doherty, Pearse.
  • Ellis, Dessie.
  • Healy, Seamus.
  • Martin, Catherine.
  • McDonald, Mary Lou.
  • McGrath, Mattie.
  • Mitchell, Denise.
  • Munster, Imelda.
  • Murphy, Catherine.
  • Murphy, Paul.
  • Ó Broin, Eoin.
  • Ó Caoláin, Caoimhghín.
  • Ó Laoghaire, Donnchadh.
  • O'Reilly, Louise.
  • O'Sullivan, Jan.
  • O'Sullivan, Maureen.
  • Penrose, Willie.
  • Quinlivan, Maurice.
  • Ryan, Brendan.
  • Ryan, Eamon.
  • Sherlock, Sean.
  • Shortall, Róisín.
  • Smith, Bríd.
  • Stanley, Brian.
  • Wallace, Mick.

Níl

  • Aylward, Bobby.
  • Bailey, Maria.
  • Barrett, Seán.
  • Brassil, John.
  • Breathnach, Declan.
  • Breen, Pat.
  • Brophy, Colm.
  • Browne, James.
  • Bruton, Richard.
  • Burke, Peter.
  • Butler, Mary.
  • Cahill, Jackie.
  • Calleary, Dara.
  • Carey, Joe.
  • Casey, Pat.
  • Cassells, Shane.
  • Chambers, Jack.
  • Chambers, Lisa.
  • Collins, Niall.
  • Creed, Michael.
  • Curran, John.
  • Deasy, John.
  • Deering, Pat.
  • Doherty, Regina.
  • Donnelly, Stephen S.
  • Durkan, Bernard J.
  • English, Damien.
  • Farrell, Alan.
  • Fitzgerald, Frances.
  • Fitzmaurice, Michael.
  • Fitzpatrick, Peter.
  • Flanagan, Charles.
  • Griffin, Brendan.
  • Halligan, John.
  • Harris, Simon.
  • Haughey, Seán.
  • Humphreys, Heather.
  • Kehoe, Paul.
  • Kelleher, Billy.
  • Kyne, Seán.
  • Lahart, John.
  • Lowry, Michael.
  • MacSharry, Marc.
  • McEntee, Helen.
  • McGrath, Finian.
  • McGuinness, John.
  • McHugh, Joe.
  • McLoughlin, Tony.
  • Madigan, Josepha.
  • Martin, Micheál.
  • Mitchell O'Connor, Mary.
  • Moynihan, Aindrias.
  • Murphy O'Mahony, Margaret.
  • Murphy, Dara.
  • Murphy, Eoghan.
  • Murphy, Eugene.
  • Naughton, Hildegarde.
  • Neville, Tom.
  • Noonan, Michael.
  • O'Brien, Darragh.
  • O'Connell, Kate.
  • O'Dowd, Fergus.
  • O'Loughlin, Fiona.
  • O'Rourke, Frank.
  • Rabbitte, Anne.
  • Rock, Noel.
  • Ross, Shane.
  • Scanlon, Eamon.
  • Smith, Brendan.
  • Smyth, Niamh.
  • Stanton, David.
  • Troy, Robert.
  • Zappone, Katherine.

Staon

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Richard Boyd Barrett and Bríd Smith; Níl, Deputies Joe McHugh and Tony McLoughlin.
Question declared lost.
Faisnéiseadh go rabhthas tar éis diúltú don cheist.

Given the seriousness of the housing and homeless crisis and the rather odd decision at the last minute of the Government to withdraw its amendment and vote outright against this Bill, I call for a vote by means other than electronic means.

I draw the Deputy's attention to Standing Order 73(3) which is fairly clear. On the announcement of the result by the Chair, if the difference between "Tá" and "Níl" is ten or less than ten, the Member or Members may demand a vote by other means - a walk-through vote. However, the margin is greater than ten, so I cannot accept it.

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