Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Notwithstanding what the Taoiseach had to say on the mortgage and personal debt situation, given that we are dealing with a pretty quantifiable number of people in terms of the 167,000 people in mortgage arrears, I believe there is a need for due diligence by the lending agencies in terms of the processing of cases individually. Has a timeframe been decided within which those who with some assistance can be helped with their mortgages and those who will never be able to bear the burden now upon them must be identified?

I thank the Taoiseach for his remarks in regard to the work of the sub-committee on health. I believe I was in order when I asked if the terms of reference of the sub-committee allowed for discussions around issues such as the children's hospital, primary care centres, the withdrawal of discretionary medical cards, including discretionary medical cards for seriously ill children.

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