Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)

I need to bring forward an amendment for the Minister to publish a report on whether the banks are passing on interest rates, which, as a result of them not doing, is forcing us, as a State, to ensure that mortgage interest relief - taxpayers' money - is used to actually support mortgageholders at a time when banks are charging them way above the European average. There is only one way for me to ensure that that report is published and that is to table an amendment. The advice of the Minister's Department has been not to allow me to table that amendment and that it is not relevant. Under God, it is relevant. It is completely relevant to the fact that we are spending millions of euro in taxpayers' money on an issue as a direct result of the banks charging high interest rates. Minister, if the banks were charging lower interest rates, then mortgage interest relief would not exist this year or next year. That is the reality of it. This is a policy decision. This is the only way that we can force this. This is democracy in action. I am entitled to bring forward an issue. The Minister is making the point that this is not relevant to the Finance Bill. Of course it is relevant to the Finance Bill.