Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was just responding to the point the Minister made and I am delighted to hear him referring to that matter. Perhaps he might assist me in respect of a particular problem. If a bank moves to repossess someone's house, it will not be interested in a PIA. If it was interested in the latter, it would have already gone down that route. The judge will then direct it to see if it can get a PIP to put a PIA together. The PIP will not be paid unless a PIA is agreed. Deeply distressed borrowers are going to be walking up and down our main streets seeking PIPs to do work in respect of which they know there is a high probability of their not being paid. That is the problem I am trying to solve. If forcing the mortgager to pay for it does not work for the Minister, that is fair enough. Does he acknowledge that this is a real problem and are there any other avenues he and his officials have considered in the context of trying to solve it?