Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This has been a very useful debate and I thank Sinn Féin for raising these issues. However, the Government is dealing with the consequences of the previous Government's policies and belief system which were pro-cyclical, reckless lending and very poor regulation. Unfortunately the consequences have been very painful for many of our people. We are trying to deal sensitively with those experiencing severe mortgage arrears and to identify innovative ways to meet social housing demands at a time when the public funds available to that end have never been scarcer. I would love to have the kind of money to implement the various Sinn Féin suggestions, but we do not have that money at the moment and we have to deal with the problem as it faces us know. Deputy Ross is very good at describing the problem, but I have not heard too many solutions.

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