Paul Murphy condemns Planning Bill behaviour, urges price controls
Paul Murphy criticised the Government's handling of the Planning Bill and the timing of the Dáil summer recess. He called for immediate cost-of-living measures including price controls on fuel and energy and a windfall tax on corporate profiteering.
Parliamentary procedure and Planning Bill
Paul Murphy described the Government's approach to the Planning Bill as "an absolute scandal" and an abuse of parliamentary processes. He addressed amendments on short-term lettings, saying some proposed changes would increase housing supply and responding to calls in the Dáil for more homes and relief for renters.
Urgent cost-of-living demands
He warned that the Dáil leaving from 14 July until 14 September was unacceptable while inflation was approaching 10% and one in three people were in energy poverty. He demanded price controls on petrol, diesel, gas and electricity and a windfall tax to curb "obscene profiteering" by energy and big food companies.
Measures already announced and school supports
Paul Murphy acknowledged recent measures introduced as cost-of-living relief, including an increase to the back-to-school allowance of over €100 and expanded school meals in DASH schools. He also noted that school transport fees have been waived for the coming September period.
Housing supply and short-term lettings
He said the amendments to short-term lettings could provide greater housing supply, aligning with earlier leaders' questions about boosting supply. He argued for continued streamlining to increase all forms of housing units.
Budget timing and future package
Paul Murphy urged a substantial, non-inflationary cost-of-living package to accompany the Budget at the end of September. He stressed the need for detailed work on the Budget and warned the Dáil should not adjourn without addressing the immediate crisis.
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I agree with the points that have been made. The Government's approach in terms of the Planning Bill is an absolute scandal. It is an abuse of the most basic processes in terms of how Parliament should operate. I want to also make a more fundamental point here, which is that the proposal is that we rise on Thursday, the 14th of July, and the Dáil will not be sitting again until Wednesday, the 14th of September. More than eight weeks, at a time when people's incomes are effectively being eroded day after day by inflation running at close to 10%, when one in three people are now living in energy poverty, with absolutely obscene profiteering happening by the energy companies, by the big food companies. The Dáil should not rise until it addresses this crisis, until it imposes price controls on the essentials, on petrol, on diesel, on gas and electricity, until it imposes a windfall tax on the profiteering that is happening, until it acts to protect people from this crisis. First of all, I would say that in terms of the Planning Bill and the amendments that the Minister are bringing in, I mean, we just heard earlier at leaders' questions, demands to increase housing supply, to reduce the pressure on renters and so on. I mean, that is the full purpose of the amendments, essentially in relation to short-term lettings in particular, which I would have thought many people have been calling for in this House. And many people were looking for this, and the Minister is endeavouring to provide for that now. And in my view, there are positive amendments that will provide greater supply. And we just had people complaining about the absence of supply and the need for more supply. And yes, I have indeed, in terms of short-term lettings. And in addition to that, I would make the point that the Government has made it clear that there will be a cost-of-living package, a very substantial one, in tandem with the Budget. A lot of work has to go into that, and a lot of work has to go into the Budget in terms of getting that right. We have already, this last week, introduced measures in terms of increasing the back-to-school allowance, over €100. That will take effect in the next week or so. And in addition to that, providing extensive meals to children in DASH schools, particularly the new schools. Remember, we had the largest increase in DASH schools ever this year, which was, I think, an outstanding measure taken by the Minister of Education. But now the school meal programme will be applied as a cost-of-living measure also, but it's the right thing to do for those attending those DASH schools. And school transport fees have been waived for the coming September period. Again, to reduce costs that families would face as they go back to school. I think these are reasonable measures. We need a more comprehensive package at the end of September in terms of cost of living. There's no doubt about that. We have to do it in a way that's not inflationary as best we can. We also have to alleviate the pressures on households. There was briefings, I understand, of the committee by department officials yesterday in relation to these amendments. And I think we do need to continue to streamline our system to make sure we can increase supply of all forms of housing units. And that is the- And when- Certainly, there's no grab for power. We're going to go to the next video.
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