Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The mortgage rate is high and is well above the EU average, and I have looked at the rates and know they are relatively consistent across the board. The first role of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is there in the title - it concerns competition. Surely it has a role in terms of going in and providing assurance to the consumer that there is not a cartel in operation. Why would it not carry out a review of the mortgage market to give assurance to people that a cartel is not in operation? Surely that falls within its remit in terms of consumer protection. Ms Goggin has said the market is dysfunctional. How would she define a functional market?