Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

There is a problem with the way these questions are grouped. I asked three questions. I am particularly interested in trying to get some sense of the meeting between the economic management council and the senior executives of the banks, particularly relating to the issues of citizens on variable rate mortgages who are in deep economic distress at present. Last week the chief executive of the Bank of Ireland was quoted as saying that it might further increase interest rates to protect the bank from the impact of the Government's new personal insolvency legislation. The Taoiseach did not answer that question. He made no reference to the banks in his answer. The families in mortgage distress are looking to the Taoiseach to ensure the banks reach sustainable agreements with them. Will the Taoiseach take up this and give us an answer on it?

The Taoiseach said that the council has the same status as a Cabinet sub-committee and that under the Constitution it is not appropriate to give details of its meetings. Surely that is simply an excuse. Is the Taoiseach suggesting he could be jailed or that it would be a constitutional offence? Is the Taoiseach a member of a slightly constitutional party? It strikes me that the information should be available in the interests of transparency. The Taoiseach has said many times during a long career in the House before he became Taoiseach that he wanted transparency and sought to reform politics. However, we are trying to get some details from him and he maintains that he cannot tell us anything.

My first question was about the banks. The Taoiseach is aware of how many people are in mortgage distress. Did the Taoiseach raise this with the banks? Was the Taoiseach successful in getting them to reach sustainable agreements with struggling mortgage holders?

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