It’s been an extremely busy Dáil term, full of drama and crises from the emergency legislation on Sexual Assault to the controversial Bill on Hepatitis C compensations. From the other side of the Dáil chamber, it seems that the government are growing more ratty and ill tempered as the election comes closer, with regular tantrums and taunts being flung around the Dáil!

The problem with working in the Dail is that it’s so hot in the building, I’m always gasping for fresh air after a day spent in Committee meetings and in the chamber. I’ve recently been putting in 15 hour days between the end of the Dáil session, with many bills being passed in the last week, and a series of issues in the constituency – school places, the threat to the Tolka River and development issues around the constituency with developers lobbing for high rise buildings with no facilities nearby.

On the plus side, money has finally been allocated to Connolly Hospital after many years. Part of the refurbishment process will mean that vulnerable older patients in Unit 3 have to be moved into temporary accommodation, which is a concern. The staff in the hospital are fantastic and I try to be a champion of the hospital and push for hospital facilities to be improved.

We finally launched an information leaflet on management companies for homeowners and potential buyers last week, and I went on Primetime to discuss the issue. We’ve been getting advice from lawyers and various experts in property over the last few months to try and get some straightforward answers for residents on this difficult and technical area of law. I’ve personally been contacted by so many people who are affected by management company fees, and never knew that there was a management company in their estate when they bought their home. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to be dropping the information leaflet door-to-door and it will hopefully answer peoples questions about what their options are.