Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)

This crisis is affecting hundreds of thousands of families, many of whom are also facing severe salary cuts. I received a letter yesterday from a public servant who is going to private lenders to borrow in order to meet mortgage payments. Many of the private finance companies are charging a fee of €30 for every €100 borrowed, but that is the only recourse that many people have, and it is effectively money lending through finance companies.

The Minister referred to a committee in his Department that will deal with mortgage difficulties and mortgage arrears. Is the Minister suggesting, following weekend interviews by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, that he has made contact with Deputy Ryan and invited somebody from his Department to be part of this committee? We have never heard about the make up of the committee. There is no information available and the Taoiseach seemed to be completely at sea, as no proposals had come to the Government about mortgage difficulties.

See this speech in context