Brian Ó Domhnaill (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Since this Government came to power, it has given the banks unquestionable powers. It is up to the banks to decide whether a customer has co-operated. I came across a case during the week where a customer was deemed not to be co-operating because he was unable to meet his full mortgage payment, even though he had sought to enter into a partial payment arrangement. It is disgraceful. I realise it is not a matter the Minister of State can tackle on her own, but the Government must take action immediately to address it. The banks are running like wildfire over people who are struggling to make mortgage payments. This issue is bound to escalate and will see many more people ending up on local authority housing lists. Unless the problem is addressed, it will end up costing more in rent supplement payments. Banks will begin repossessing homes on a much larger scale, which will further damage the property market.

There has been a 200% increase in homelessness in Dublin city, a problem which is simply not being tackled. Focus Ireland, the Peter McVerry Trust and others have highlighted the extent of the problem in recent weeks. There is no occasion for self-congratulation by the Government, which is why we are bringing forward this amendment.

Will the Minister of State indicate the position regarding the transfer of 2000 houses from the NAMA to local authorities which was promised by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, in 2012? To date, fewer than 500 of those houses have been transferred.