Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We need to deal with the substance of these issues. For a man from County Mayo, to even suggest eviction from or repossession of a family home - even if the number is small - would be justifiable is totally and absolutely reprehensible. Rather than jibing at us, I ask the Taoiseach to deal with the substance. One in four mortgage holders is in distress. People have had tax upon tax imposed upon them. They cannot pay it. That is the reality.

What we have argued for is the establishment of a statutorily independent body that would impose settlements which would be legally binding agreements between mortgage holders and the banks and which would include - the Government has ruled this out - write-downs, where appropriate. What we are seeking would deal with the substance of the problem. The Government has a veto, but it has given this to the banks. It should now remove it. On the numerous occasions on which I have raised the issue the Taoiseach has stated the regulator does not want the Government to intervene and that, therefore, it cannot do anything. The Government has done very little of substance in order to put manners on the banks.

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