John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I searched my emails when the session was suspended, and I want to give the witnesses an idea of the emails we are receiving, apart from the examples I provided earlier. A lady writes that listening to politicians talking about vulture funds over the past few days has been infuriating, and that some have no understanding of the process, never mind the paralysing effects on human beings. This lady's family home is involved in this. She goes on to explain that while her personal insolvency practitioner, PIP, was negotiating with the bank - AIB in this instance - it sold everything to a vulture fund. The stress and suffering is unnecessary, she says. She has had five psychiatric hospitalisations since 2011. That is the type of negative impact that this is having on the lives of citizens. In that instance, as in many others, this code of conduct does not work. That is the point I am making. It is very difficult for the individual to deal with these people. They never expected to be in this position, and they are not getting the protection of the State as they try to work their way out of these loans. I ask the witnesses to consider that. That is the evidence I am giving.