Shane Ross (Dublin South, Independent)

It is a standing charge of €40, more or less. We know that this charge will be used to repay a loan given by the National Pensions Reserve Fund. Why are the people borrowing money from the National Pensions Reserve Fund? We are borrowing our own money when we do that. This contrasts completely with what happened to the National Pensions Reserve Fund when the banks went to it. When the banks went to the NPRF - a great misnomer because no pension will ever be paid from it - they were given money. An equity investment was made and they will never have to repay most of the money, as everybody knows. Why did the Government not direct the NPRF to put this money into the installation costs so that people do not have to borrow it? Why is this fund, which was pillaged by the banks for money which they will not pay back, being loaned to the people, who are going to have to pay back? We could treat the people at least the same as we treat the banks and allow them to take the money, thereby abolishing that €40 charge.

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