Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)

I imagine a situation where someone will lose a job after the Bill is enacted. Instead of having some level of support for the mortgage, the person must go to the bank and it depends on whether the bank engages with the person. Interest on the mortgage will increase every month while people are awaiting a decision. Is there a possibility of the decision being backdated? Will it start from 12 months on or from the time there is buy-in from the banks? None of that is clear. The briefing note is contradictory and other speakers will make the same point. The concern is that the individual is isolated. The person must go to the bank and must be considered on a one-to-one basis and much depends on how banks treat people. They may add the person to a queue or may deal with it in a reasonable time. People will become further distressed.

If the mortgage is restructured, does it have an impact on the amount paid in interest? The fact that it is a restructured mortgage has an impact on how much interest is paid because some interest will be deferred. That point is not clear.

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