Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Not to be so explicit in the determination of the targets that they want to be met within the timescale. For example, there are countless situations where a person who has a 25 year loan might find themselves reaching 70 years of age before the end of the 25 years. The lending institutions saw fit to lend to that extent at the time of the institution of the mortgage, but they now see things in a different light. They say, "By the way, you will be 72 or 73 before this is repaid". "So what?", is the correct reply to that. If it was possible to lend the money in the first place, regardless of the criteria by which it was loaned, equally it should be possible to restructure, without interest, in such a way as to accommodate the unfortunate person who is burdened with the responsibility of that loan.

I apologise for taking so much time, but I will not intervene again.