Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Minister of State with responsibility for housing is dealing with the mortgage-to-lease and mortgage-to-rent schemes. We have had discussions with the banks about their capacity to deal with the scale of the cases of mortgages in distress or arrears. They will report to the regulator by 4 May next. They will set out their perspective on whether parts of the borrowing sector fit into any of the categories for dealing with the mortgage distress involved. In other words, should the mortgage-to-lease or mortgage-to-rent schemes be used, or should other changes be involved? When they report to the regulator by 4 May next, we will get a much clearer perspective on the range and categories of the mortgages that are involved here. I note that one of the banks has put together a team of a couple of hundred personnel to deal with the range and scale of distress and arrears. It is a question of having people who are competent to sit down and deal with these matters. We are very cognisant of this issue. That is why I intend to drive it through the Cabinet sub-committee. I would like to think-----

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