Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am looking for direction in practice. It does not specifically relate to these 384 families. Mr. Duffy mentioned earlier that 60% of them have had whatever the value of the home was when it was sold versus what was left on the loan written off and 40% of them have not. How would the bank have determined who got the bit that was left over written off and who did not? I am not asking this to be smart or nosy. Mr. Duffy has mentioned the word "affordability" 25 times since he sat down this afternoon on the basis that the question of whether a house is in positive or negative equity is irrelevant to AIB. If the person can afford to pay the mortgage in some shape or form, AIB is very much in favour of keeping them in their home. If I am handing over the keys because there is no other solution and the bank is not writing off my debt, I must still provide a home for my family through a rental process. The people who have come to my office are really on their knees. They are not in a position to tell the bank to park €50,000 and that they will pay it later. How does the bank determine that?