I move:

Tuesday's business shall be:

- Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of the Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 (back from Committee) (without debate)

- Motion re Twentieth Report of Committee of Selection (without debate)

- Social Welfare Bill 2022 (Second Stage)

Private Members' Business shall be the Motion re Declaration of a Housing Emergency, selected by Sinn Féin.

Wednesday’s business shall be:

- Motion re Leave to Introduce Supplementary Estimate [Vote 32] (without debate)

- Social Welfare Bill 2022 (Second Stage, resumed) (if not previously concluded, to conclude at 5 p.m.)

- Finance Bill 2022 (Report and Final Stages) (to be taken no earlier than 4 p.m. and to conclude within 5 hrs)

Private Members' Business shall be the Motion re New Vision for Transport in Galway and Other Areas, selected by the Independent Group.

Thursday’s business shall be:

- Statements on Abuse at Certain Educational Institutions (not to exceed 2 hrs and 25 mins)

- Statements on Forestry (not to exceed 2 hrs and 25 mins)

- Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Communications Regulation Bill 2022 (to conclude within 60 mins and any division claimed to be taken immediately prior to Report Stage)

Thursday evening business shall be Second Stage of the Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Proposed Arrangements for this week's business:

In relation to Tuesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders is modified to the following extent:

(i) the Dáil shall sit later than 10.30 p.m.;

(ii) expressions of sympathy for Professor Brian Hillery shall be taken for not more than 30 minutes after oral Parliamentary Questions to the Taoiseach pursuant to Standing Order 46(1), and shall be followed by Government business; and

(iii) Government business shall be interrupted to take private members’ business, either at 6.45 p.m. or 2 hours and 25 minutes after the conclusion of the expressions of sympathy, whichever is the later, and shall not resume thereafter, with consequential effect on the time for Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and topical issues: Provided that in the event Second Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2022 concludes before the 2 hours and 25 minutes have expired, private members' business shall be taken on the conclusion of that Second Stage;

2. the Motion re Proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of Planning and Development (Exempted Development) (No. 4) Regulations 2022 shall be taken without debate; and

3. the Motion re Twentieth Report of the Committee of Selection shall be taken without debate.

In relation to Wednesday’s business, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the following extent:

(i) Government business may continue after 8.45 p.m. in order to allow the proceedings on the Finance Bill 2022 to conclude; and

(ii) the weekly division time may be taken later than 8.45 p.m. and shall, in any event, be taken on the conclusion of proceedings on the Finance Bill 2022, with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 9.30 p.m.;

2. the Motion re Leave to Introduce Supplementary Estimate [Vote 32] shall be taken without debate;

3. the proceedings on Second Stage of the Social Welfare Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at 5 p.m.; and

4. the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Finance Bill 2022 shall be taken no earlier than 4 p.m. and shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 5 hours by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Finance.

In relation to Thursday’s business and in relation to the questions nominated for priority pursuant to Standing Order 49 to be taken on 1st December, 2022, it is proposed that:

1. the ordinary routine of business as contained in Schedule 3 to Standing Orders shall be modified to the extent that topical issues may be taken later than 7.24 p.m., and shall in any event be taken on the conclusion of Government business, with consequential effect on the commencement time for Second Stage of the Dog Breeding Establishments (Amendment) Bill 2021 and on the time for the adjournment of the Dáil, which may be later than 9.27 p.m.;

2. the Statements on Abuse at Certain Educational Institutions shall not exceed 145 minutes, with arrangements in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 135 minutes, following which a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, and members may share time;

3. the Statements on Forestry shall not exceed 145 minutes, with arrangements in accordance with those agreed by Order of the Dáil of 30th July, 2020, for 135 minutes, following which a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes, and members may share time;

4. the proceedings on the Motion to Instruct the Committee on the Communications Regulation Bill 2022 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply:

(i) order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows:

- opening speech by a Minister or Minister of State – 7.5 minutes; and

- speeches by representatives of Sinn Féin, the Labour Party, Social Democrats, People-Before-Profit-Solidarity, the Regional Group, the Rural Independent Group and the Independent Group – 7.5 minutes per party or group;

(ii) members may share time; and

(iii) any division claimed shall be taken immediately prior to Report and Final Stages of the Communications Regulation Bill 2022; and

5. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, the number of Questions nominated for priority pursuant to Standing Order 49 that may be taken on Thursday 1st December, 2022, shall be increased to six, and the sixth question shall be allocated to the Social Democrats, with the time for Questions to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage accordingly extended for 6.5 minutes.

Is the Order of Business agreed?

It is not agreed.

The Taoiseach's statement that there must be consultation about housing asylum seekers in communities is a major change of Government policy. There has not been dialogue. There has not been planning. There have not been additional resources for communities that host vulnerable people seeking international protection.

East Wall is merely the latest example of this. East Wall, by the way, is a diverse and integrated community, yet now totally unnecessary division and anxiety has been driven by a lack of dialogue and a lack of basic planning. Communities know that those seeking international protection have to be catered for. That matter is not in dispute. They also know that communities such as East Wall have been treated with utter disrespect and that, in fact, asylum seekers themselves have been treated with utter disrespect. The Taoiseach needs to set out for the Dáil what he means by what he calls "consultation".

I thank Deputy McDonald.

Can I also say, a Cheann Comhairle,-----

No. The Deputy is out of time.

We need the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, to come before the House, set out his stall and take questions because-----

The Deputy is out of time.

-----we need a thoughtful, planned and united approach to this most important of issues.

A year and a half ago, the Joint Committee on Justice recommended a special committee on the issue of assisted dying. To my knowledge, there is no impediment to the establishment of that committee. Can the Taoiseach give a commitment to the many people who have been following this issue that the committee will be established before Christmas because it has gone on far too long? We need to have a national discussion about this issue.

Over the past number of weeks, Deputies have been inundated by business owners who are struggling to keep their doors open throughout the country. If some of them are to survive, they need to get the energy subsidies for bars, cafes and restaurants released before Christmas. I even had an accountant on to me in the past few days who has quite a lot of these businesses on his books. He had to actually pay one of their energy bills this week to keep the door open. We need a proper discussion here in the Dáil this week. These subsidies are not supposed to be paid until 23 February next year. For many businesses, this will be too late. They will be gone for good. Can we have a debate here this week to release this money earlier?

I welcome the fact that we have a debate this week on Thursday on abuse in certain educational institutions. It is a debate I looked for last week and I am glad to see it is in the schedule. I am raising on the Order of Business a concern that the time allocated may not be sufficient given the issues that we have to debate, particularly around the format of a welcome inquiry that the Taoiseach and the Government have committed to holding into the scale of abuse that has taken place. I wanted to raise a concern that we may not have sufficient time this Thursday on those issues and that we might revisit that at a later date and continue the debate if necessary.

On the matter raised by Deputy Gino Kenny, first, I apologise, as I should have gone back to him before now. The establishment of the committee is not really a matter for the Taoiseach. The Dáil reform committee will hear a report at its next meeting, which I think is due next week. If it agrees on that, the committee, which has been agreed in principle to be established, can proceed as soon as is humanly possible.

On the other matters, I call the Taoiseach.

On Deputy McDonald's issue I want to put on the record of the House my thanks to our public servants and my recognition of the work they do across government and the massive effort that has and continues to go into making sure those who have come to our country seeking refuge have speedy access to the shelter and support they need. We do not have an option but to avail of all offers of accommodation including those that in ordinary times we would not consider appropriate. This includes the use of repurposed office buildings, sports facilities and tented structures. We are not in ordinary times. We are doing all we can to provide shelter and to comply with our international obligations.

As of 13 November there were 17,192 people accommodated through the International Protection Accommodation System, IPAS. By comparison at this point last year there were approximately 7,250 in IPAS accommodation. This is just with regard to international protection alone, separate from the Ukraine war situation. Because of the brutal war that Putin is raging almost 60,000 people have arrived in Ireland. We saw the warnings this morning in respect of a freezing winter in Ukraine and the utter destruction of the infrastructure there. In my view this will accelerate further migration to Europe. Approximately 14 million people have been displaced. We need to consult and we also need to engage with the public on the horrible reality that war has brought upon the Continent of Europe. There are no easy solutions. We cannot suggest to people, unfortunately, that there are easy solutions. The Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has been before the Dáil in respect of this issue. He has spoken and engaged. There is no magic solution. In the context of East Wall-----

Time is almost up.

-----the Deputy is familiar with it. Ultimately we have to be fairly straight with people. We have international obligations and with regard to fulfilling them the pressures are enormous because of a number of issues such as conflict, famine, drought, climate change and the war in Ukraine itself. The Minister and the Department are engaging with local representatives to provide the information. They will be providing more information directly to the community in the coming days. This is happening. The Minister wants to foster positive linkages with the local community for the new centre in East Wall. He is also committed to supporting those communities that are supporting refugees.

I have dealt with the issue raised by Deputy Gino Kenny. To respond to Deputy Michael Collins, five hours debate are provided for the Finance Bill. He should support the Finance Bill because under the temporary business energy support scheme it will provide supports to many businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, in respect of the shocking increases in energy prices brought about by the war.

To respond to Deputy Bacik, the Minister for Education has met victims' groups in recent days and will continue to do so this week. The Minister intends to meet spokespersons on education from various parties in the House, the idea being to see how we can progress this issue in a victim-led way.

Is the Order of Business agreed? Agreed.